


Not Elena

by Smallpot8o



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2018-09-20 00:22:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9467168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smallpot8o/pseuds/Smallpot8o
Summary: The consequences of choosing the one who has saved you instead of the one you'd give up your life for.





	1. Chapter 1

Caroline made a perfunctory knock and then opened the front door of the boarding house. She's been there practically everyday, she knew she could just enter whenever she pleased but she knocked anyway out of habit. She didn't bother calling out for Stefan and just tried to listen or feel his presence if he's there. 

Bedroom.

She crossed the hall and went up the staircase then paused midway. 

Bonnie. 

She smiled. She could hear her heartbeat. Strong, consistent, and powerful. 

Ooh, she was eager to say hello first before she'd see Stefan. Lately, it was getting harder for her to have a moment alone with her best girl. Either they were all busy protecting themselves from whatever supernatural being is attacking them recently, with Bonnie usually leading the protection squad, or Damon was circling around like a lost hyena. 

To a certain extent, Caroline understood how the two have become close after coming back from the Other Side. It was four months and they only had each other to protect themselves from a psychotic killer warlock. 

She shivered at the thought of Kai. 

She would've probably lost her mind in less than the time Bonnie and Damon were there. Caroline could only imagine how it felt like for Bonnie who had to endure more terrifying days with him. Their chances were slim, especially Bonnie's, when she sacrificed herself yet another time for someone else and that someone else was the one person she relied upon for four long months. But they made it, for some inexplicable reason, they both made it through and Caroline knew whatever bond they forged during those months defending, guarding, and protecting each other, this was something Bonnie and Damon may have difficulty letting go. 

The library was at the end of the hall, the ajar door confirming Caroline's suspicion that Bonnie was there. A shaft of yellow light sliced through and as she came closer, she realized Bonnie wasn't alone. 

She sighed. She should've known. Of course, Vampire Douche would be there. 

She couldn't even remember seeing them apart since after coming back from the prison world and temporarily saying goodbye to Elena. Again, she kind of understood why they were whatever they were now, but she wouldn't be Caroline if it didn't make her curious as to what to make of their relationship - if you even called it that or if they would admit there was anything for that matter. 

This wasn't something she was seeing on her own. Caroline knew at least Stefan was wondering about it too. They've exchanged enough meaningful glances whenever Bonnie and Damon interacted. She didn't think the two noticed since they tend to exclude everyone once they started discussing anything (or arguing - this *is* Bonnie and Damon). It seemed that they would make sure they were on the same page first and then get back to the group with a solid front. Even when there was no plan, strategy, or group brainstorming needed for whatever is threatening them at the moment, it felt like they always fell into some routine. It kind of gave Caroline a glimpse as to how they were when they were in that purgatory.

Take this scene she stumbled upon. 

Bonnie's on the couch, knees up with a grimoire over her lap. She was leaning to her right, her knees slanting towards the armrest, the grimoire angling at the same direction as her head which she propped up with her fist. Caroline can only see half her head as Bonnie seemed totally engrossed with a specific spell. Her perpetual shadow was on the other end of the couch facing the witch, his feet partly under her bottom and the space between Bonnie's feet. He was sipping his endless supply of bourbon and was simply staring at Bonnie. 

Bonnie was either oblivious or she didn't mind the ogling. Ever since Caroline noticed that something was intense and different in Bonnie's and Damon's interactions, she assumed that Bonnie was used to this behavior. 

To Caroline, it was just weird. Creepy even. 

She vaguely wondered if Bonnie ever called Damon on it and had already resigned to whatever bullshit reason Damon came up with, or she was just aware and had let him be.

"Come on, Bonnie. The night is young and there's plenty of time to make more trouble." Damon swirled the bourbon slowly, impatiently waiting for the young witch to notice him.

"Damon, you're already drinking with I'm pretty sure, better alcohol than what the Mystic Grille may have. Your need to go there is beyond my comprehension." Bonnie replied without so much raising her head.

"Because apart from continuing my alcohol consumption, one of us also needs some meat, plant, or grease for sustenance." Damon replied.

This garnered a reaction from Bonnie, raising her head and giving Damon a cool glare. Damon mimicked the look back.

Caroline had to raise her eyebrow at that. She never really thought about it but she did notice Bonnie was leaner now. Caroline didn't think there was a problem. Apparently, Damon did.

"I already had a sandwich, pops. I'm surprised you didn't notice the smell of onion lingering in my breath." Bonnie replied, returning her attention to the old book.

"Oh I noticed." he replied with exaggerated sniffing. "But if I would take a calculated guess, it was half a sandwich and that was three hours ago. It doesn't count as dinner."

No reply. 

Of course Damon, the stomping bully that he was, did not like being ignored, especially by the diminutive witch. He gave her a couple of seconds, then wiggled his toes under her.

"What the f...?" Bonnie jumped catching the grimoire before it fell from her lap because of the sudden movement. Damon smirked, finishing off his bourbon. 

"Pfft!" A rainbow spray came from his mouth. "Motherfucker!" he shouted, gagging and spitting his drink.

Caroline smelled hot cocoa. She grinned. Score one for the witch.

Bonnie tried to jump out of the way, but failed to avoid the shower of scalding cocoa she switched Damon's bourbon to. Shaking her head, she knew it will most likely leave a stain on her shirt and jeans. 

'Ew.' Caroline winced. 'Maybe half a point?' she thought.

Damon took this opportunity to move things along and put down his glass with finality like he's had enough. Sauntering towards Bonnie who was distractedly brushing off where the chocolate drink got to her, he slung his arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the door. Bonnie wouldn't be swayed though and squirmed away, ducking from under his arm. But Damon was fast and caught her hand, holding it firmly. It was a complicated dance of push and pull and they're the only ones who knew the song.

"Come on, Bon-Bon." Damon was not letting go, looking at Bonnie intently. Methane orbs bore down on subdued moss greens and Caroline wondered if he was convincing Bonnie of something else. 

'Huh.' Caroline thought. She couldn't tell if Bonnie was aware of it but by the way she took her time replying, she was careful with her words. 

Bonnie looked back, her eyes somewhere off to Damon's left ear, rubbing her thumb over the pale knuckles as if trying to ease his firm grip. It didn't. 

"I'll find something to eat here, Damon." she pacified "I'll dig under the blood bags." adopting Damon's trademark smirk.

Caroline felt Stefan come up behind her before he spoke to her. "How long have you been spying?"

"Long enough." she replied, watching Damon's eyes narrow. Caroline was sure that if he could compel Bonnie at the moment, he would've. Even Caroline was getting uncomfortable with the blatant scrutiny. 

"And I'm not exactly spying." she hedged.

"Says the girl who's hiding behind the door." was Stefan's quick counter.

They both watched as Bonnie made a move away to get back to her grimoire, but Damon pulled her back to him until her right shoulder was against his chest. He gave her a half hug and leaned over to kiss the side of her head, his eyes closing briefly.

Caroline's eyes went just a tad wide while Stefan's eyebrows inched closer to his hairline. Bonnie was never known to be open with her affections, even when she was with Jeremy. She had always been self-conscious about PDAs and was just a naturally private person. Damon, on the other hand, always wore his heart on his sleeve. Seeing how this was playing out in front of them was like coming across a daytime soap opera. They wanted to flip the channel but they couldn't help be enthralled with the unfolding drama. 

"If you change your mind, you know where this stud will be." Damon reluctantly released her.

"Yeah, I'll look for the obnoxious loser trying to enjoy cheap bourbon." She said, rolling her eyes and flopping back on the couch.

Damon snapped his fingers at that and pointed towards the witch. He turned around and stared directly at Caroline and Stefan through the door crack.

Caroline jumped, realizing Damon had been well aware the entire time she was snooping. She had always hated the perpetual smirk that Damon wore and this was no different, even when he had due reason for it. 

"Bonnie!" she burst through the door before giving Damon the satisfaction of outing her. Stefan followed close behind, hiding his amusement with a small smile.

\-----------------------------------------------------

"So, how are you, B?" 

Caroline had joined Bonnie on the couch as Stefan offered to go with Damon to Mystic Grille, trying not to be offended with Damon's backward glance which looked like he preferred someone else's company. He thought he had reached his brooding Stefan quota for today. Yet since Bonnie seemed surprised and glad to see Caroline, he sighed and pushed the younger Salvatore to the door and left the girls to their inane girl talk.

Bonnie cocked her head, thinking how honestly she should answer. "I'm...good." was all she could come up with. Of course, Caroline wasn't satisfied with that. 

"Really, Bonnie? Is there a reason you're losing your appetite?" She pursed her lips as soon as she blurted that out, giving away she had been watching them before she announced her presence in the library.

The witch raised an eyebrow and tried to figure out if she should be annoyed or if she'd let the faux pas go. She wasn't sure what to say to Caroline or what she wanted to hear. Sometimes she hoped that if she closed her eyes and stayed still, the world would stay still for her too. Unfortunately, she would open her eyes and the world seemed to have moved too far ahead and she'd yet again, go for a sprint. Sometimes she just wanted to be left behind.

'Oh. Been there, done that.'

She looked down and picked a loose thread on her jeans. "It's just that...I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Caroline only knew too well how she felt and reached out to cover Bonnie's agitated hand. "You do know I'm here for you, right? I can understand how you feel because we're constantly on alert status because something new or old will come and wreak havoc in this town again." She released her, leaning back. "But you should know you're not alone in this. You don't have to think you're the only one fighting."

She watched Bonnie and she isn't sure if her words were reaching her so she continued with something that she thought would. "So is Damon."

The way Bonnie's eyes squinted, her green eyes snapping to hers. Caroline was no longer sure if mentioning Damon was a smart thing to do but she's been burning to have this conversation so she kept her eyes steady on Bonnie's, not backing down.

"What? Isn't this..." she gestured around the Boarding house library in general, "what all this about?" 

Bonnie was practically living there. She still has her house and Grams' house, but she's claimed one room across Damon's. Damon's suggestion, mind you, not Bonnie's.

"He is helping you somehow, right?" Caroline fished further.

"Of course he is." Bonnie answered matter-of-factly. "Damon is...Damon." she sighed. "He is still annoying as hell. The urge to turn him to ash still happens at least once a week. But he has my back, so yes, he helps."

Bonnie watched Caroline nod her head, trying to be satisfied with her reply and failing miserably. 

"Spit it, Care." she said, cringing at the thought what this discussion would lead to.

"So...is he helping you in...other ways? Does he have your back and has he had you on your back?"

"Oh my god, Caroline. I can't believe that just came out of your mouth!" Bonnie groaned as she covered her eyes with a hand, inwardly chastising herself for allowing Caroline to continue. 

"Is it really a surprise that I wonder about it? I'm not the only one noticing that you guys act like a couple."

"We do not!" Bonnie was quick to deny. Caroline had to smile and had to admit Bonnie in particular wasn't really guilty of this. But...

"Okay, okay!" Caroline pacified, her hands up. "But I have to say, Damon seems to be very protective and..." she held a finger up when she saw Bonnie try to explain. She was trying to find the most appropriate word that won't have her friend give her an aneurism. "...attached."

"As he is with Stefan!" Bonnie reasoned.

"AND affectionate." Caroline tossed back, her raised eyebrow daring Bonnie to deny it.

This effectively stopped Bonnie and made her re-think how Damon was with her. She didn't really think anything of it. She wasn't uncomfortable with the way he acted around her but looking at it in Caroline's perspective, she just realized other people may not see it the same way she did. 

"I don't know what the big deal is. Why aren't you questioning how Matt is around me?" Matt was their oldest friend and had been always fond of her. 

"Because he does not circle around you like a dog marking his territory." Caroline easily countered. "And when was the last time you've seen Matt anyway?"

"Caroline..." Bonnie knocked back her head against the sofa, already tired of the conversation. "I think you're reading into this too much."

"Or I'm reading it just right."

"Or this danger lull we currently have is boring you and you're craving for drama." Bonnie faced Caroline so that she could make an important point. "And have you forgotten Elena?" she asked, her eyebrow raising.

"Not in the least, which is also why I remember that she told Damon to move on."

"She did but I don't think she meant to move on with me!" Bonnie shook her head and then raised a palm up at Caroline when she looked like she had a ready argument. 

"No, Care. Please. I don't want to talk about this anymore. He's my best friend in the whole world apart from you right now. I already lost one. I don't want to lose another because I'm second guessing what he is to me." 

Her shoulders slumped. "I don't want things to get awkward when they shouldn't be." 

'Thanks, Caroline.' she inwardly groaned, knowing fully well that it would. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The vampire brothers were sitting side by side at the bar, their backs turned from the rest of Mystic Grille's regulars. Damon stared absentmindedly at the drink in his hand, numbing his mind with the slow swirl of bourbon inside. Stefan wasn't used to his brother brooding and had to end the heavy silence. Besides, Mystic Falls has need of only one brooding Salvatore and he's already filled that job.

"You miss her." he guessed.

"Don't you?" There was no doubt who Stefan was referring to and Damon didn't miss a beat.

Stefan nodded since this was the most honest he could be about it. There was a time that she was his whole world and you don't just forget that feeling. 

Damon knocked back a shot then rested his forehead against the raised cool glass. "Sometimes...I wonder if I made the right choice." 

The younger Salvatore stilled, not expecting Damon to mention the one thing he'd been wondering ever since they left Elena in a coffin. He slowly turned to his brother, not sure if there was an appropriate way to react. How do you console someone who had to choose between his best friend and the love of his life? Stefan can only imagine the torment of having to face and act on that impossible decision.

"Do you regret it?" he asked carefully, knowing he was treading on very dangerous ground.

There was a loud cheer from the pool tables, followed by shared hard slaps between teenage jocks. The music changed to something upbeat and a group started to dance near the jukebox. There was a continuous sound of glass clinking from all the booze flowing in the bar. Yet Damon's silence seemed to expand beyond their little bubble, thick and overwhelming. Stefan felt his reliable calmness slip and had to keep himself from fidgeting as he waited, not knowing if Damon would actually answer.

"Sometimes." Damon stared at his empty glass, immediately regretting saying it out loud. The words passed through his mouth like a hundred papercuts soaked in vervain.

Stefan watched intently at the corner of his eye, not giving any indication that he was stunned by Damon's answer. He has seen Damon with Bonnie and knew there was something...more. That was the best way he could describe it. More than allies. More than best friends. More. 

And by what he has observed so far is that he has never seen Damon behave with anyone else like he has with Bonnie. Not Elena. Not even with him.   
Damon has always been governed by his emotions. Anger, hate, love, all easily read, translated and passionately acted upon. Yet with Bonnie, he seemed to be more restrained, sometimes unsure. Always, always careful. All under the guise of sarcasm, wit, and asshole behavior. 

So for Stefan to hear Damon speak of regret towards choosing Bonnie went against his speculation of Damon's deep feelings for the resident witch. It didn't add up and if this regret is eating away at his brother, it is with good reason to feel worried. The first thing that came to mind is how this will affect Bonnie once this implodes. 

Although Stefan didn't show any reaction, Damon can feel his brother match his brooding. It was difficult to explain and even harder to accept. 

If he had chosen Elena, it would be understandable. She would've been the obvious choice. He had chased her for years and although not everone would agree, they'd understand if he had chosen Elena instead of Bonnie. And he could see how his life would play out because of that choice. 

He could see the bliss of their new beginning, the lure of finally having that ever after. Making love whenever, wherever, and in every position imaginable. Eating breakfast nude, serving vampcakes, and ignoring the slight pang when Elena chooses to eat waffles instead. He would pass her the ice cream and would waggle his eyebrows with tacky sunglasses on with the price still attached. He would pass by a jewelry shop and would ponder a present that would fulfill his and Elena's dreams. He would skip it because his best friend wouldn't be there to help pick it out with him. When they would opt to watch a movie at home instead of going out, he would never suggest 'The Bodyguard.' He would watch it alone after Elena has gone to bed and he would eat popcorn for two. He could see himself holding the hand of the prettiest girl in a party, stopping the urge to sweep the crowd for a tiny brunette who can mimic his smirk from across the room. He would swallow his disappointment with a charming smile and remember who he was with. 

He could see himself visit Bonnie's grave on her death anniversary, hold Elena's hand, and try not to feel guilty. He would assure himself that it was understandable. It was the obvious choice. 

He could see himself, leaving Elena in random times of the day, visiting his best friend's grave and imagine that she's listening attentively, like they were the only ones in the world. Like it was 1994. He would raise a toast for her with a flask that would have a permanent place in the right inside pocket of his leather jacket. He would assure Elena that it was nothing when she notices his absences and increment distance. The smell of alcohol in his breath would be persistent and Elena would become something he would resent when she would ask once again if there's something wrong. He would reassure her with a hug that doesn't feel quite right because she's too tall and she didn't smell like earth and cinnamon, like Mother Earth baking a fresh batch of rolls. 

He could see Elena ask and ask and ask what's wrong and he would say nothing . He could imagine asking if there's someone else and for the first time, he'd like to hurt her. He chose her didn't he?

He could see himself sitting comfortably beside his best friend's grave, giving in to the numbness, fiddling with his ring. He would wonder if the burn would help warm the cold numbness in his chest.

"But Bonnie..." 

Damon dropped down the glass a little too hard after Stefan mentioned her name. 

"...is not going to die. Not on my watch."

And any doubt Stefan had on how Damon felt about Bonnie was completely erased by the conviction and purpose in his voice. 

He sighed. Talk about complicated.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie took a moment as soon as she parked her car in front of the Mystic Grille. The urge to have her fill of alcoholic beverage was overwhelming as soon as Caroline left the boarding house. She wanted to clear her mind from all the things Caroline implied and just forget the entire conversation. 

She got out of the car and quickly chanted a cloaking spell once the doors were locked. She has been doing this lately. It was good practice - a small spell that shouldn't exhaust her but good enough to help with endurance, letting her body get used to constant use of magic. She followed a couple who unknowingly opened the door for her and quickly scanned for the Salvatores. 

'The bar of course.' Bonnie thought, quickly making her way towards them. 

She frowned when she was in hearing distance, noting the twin somber expressions the brothers had.

"Do you miss her?"

"Don't you?"

Bonnie hesitated, not sure if she would be welcomed in the conversation about Elena. These two loved the same woman, epically. Painfully. Joining in to say that she missed Elena too seemed inappropriate.

"Sometimes...I wonder if I made the right choice." 

The witch froze.

"Do you regret it?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie's heart was in her throat. She knew instantly what he was asking. She didn't want to know the answer but couldn't walk away from them. She waited.

"Sometimes." Damon answered quietly.

Her palm flattened on her chest and she felt like she was shot straight through by the same arrow Kai used. Her vision blurred but she fought hard to contain the spill. She knew they couldn't see her, sense her, but she tried her damnedest anyway.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

For some reason, Damon had the sudden urge to look at the Grille's entrance. All he could see was the door was swinging close, as if someone had just left. 

He turned back and ordered another drink.


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie drove around for several minutes just to have something to do. She didn't trust her actions if she decided to stop and let the shock of Damon's answer ebb away. After a few more minutes, she found herself parked in front of her Grams' house. She got out of the car and leaned her back on it and faced her second home. Every emotion was still tightly reined in and she swallowed down another wave of fresh tears. 

Pushing away from the car, she veered left and walked around the house. She continued past the small garden, past the backyard, past the swing set that served as boundary of her Grams' lot, past the line of trees where the woods started. She felt like she was walking on a tilted world and she needed some balance. As a witch, she turned to the one reliable thing right now so she sought for whatever nature can help her with. 

She found a thick tree that would've looked menacing at this hour, but she welcomed the wide roots that cocooned her as she sat in between them. She closed her eyes and finally, finally allowed herself to cry. The last time she remembered doing this was after the disappointment of not being able to meet Damon or Elena to get her back from 1994 prison world. 

She sobbed away her insecurities, her fear, her anger, and disappointment. Of all, that was the most difficult to deal with, the utter disappointment that she allowed herself to believe a lie which, in hindsight, she had been well aware. Hearing it straight from her best friend didn't soften the blow straight to her solar plexus.

When there were no more tears to shed, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then called to the earth for stability. She called to the wind not to whisk away the hurt, but to help carry the burden. She called to the energy of the moon for purpose and a path. She called to her grandmother for comfort, for guidance, for grace, and for the warmth of love to fill the overwhelming lack of it that hollowed her at this very moment. She hummed her love back and offered her entire being to her in return.

An hour later, she walked back towards Grams' house. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It felt like Damon's footsteps were getting heavier every step he took when he entered the boarding house. He went straight to the bar to pour himself a drink. Nevermind that he just came from The Grille to get his alcohol fix. Suddenly unburdening to Stefan what was on his guilty conscience made him want to drown himself in his most expensive bourbon. The confession came out of nowhere and if he was honest with himself, out of frustration. He was never the type to voice out feelings. He was more a man of action. However, what he is starting to accept and what he wanted to pursue was almost impossible to execute. He never even thought he would be in this situation, where his priorities would have changed and a stubborn Bennett would be at the top of his list. Dwelling further on why that is made his head hurt. He'd welcome an aneurysm anytime than finally put a name on what he wanted to happen.

He stretched his neck from one side to the other, then stopped, trying to listen. He was met with absolute silence. Damon frowned. At a blink of an eye, he was upstairs, opening the door to Bonnie's room. 

It was empty. 

Dread crept up from his spine to the nape of his neck. He speed-dialed her phone and it went straight to voice mail. Shit.

He ran outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bonnie fully intended to just sleep off the lingering ache she was feeling over at her Grams house. She tried, tossing and turning in the guest room she claimed as hers since she was twelve. She thought that being surrounded by her old things would help calm her but they didn't. After half an hour, she found herself walking back out on the street. She debated taking her car but decided to take a stroll instead. She figured she could try to exhaust herself to sleep if nothing helps. 

"Bonnie?"

She was rounding the corner when he heard a familiar voice. Matt's patrol car was easing itself beside her and slowed to a stop.

"Matt?" She smiled, her mood warming just a tad. Matt was now one of Mystic Falls' finest and he wore the uniform with pride. She walked up towards the passenger window to greet him properly.

"What are you doing walking around at this hour?" he asked. 

Matt was one of her oldest friends along with Elena and Caroline and he had overprotective tendencies. Living close to Grams' house, Matt tended to her especially, swearing to Sheila that he'd take care of her back when they started middle school and they had started to walk to and from school almost everyday together. She wanted to hug him because despite knowing she's a witch and can very well take care of herself, he never changed looking out for her. She needed that, especially tonight. That he never strayed from his protective role until now endeared him to her further. She almost cried all over again.

She swallowed a lump and settled for, "I couldn't sleep." 

Matt looked at Bonnie's face for a second too long. "You ok?" 

'I'm a walking reminder that we can't be with one of our best friends. I feel great.' She lifted one shoulder as an answer instead, her eyes averting to the windshield.

"Well, hop in. I'm on my way home. You want to keep me company?" 

And since it was the best offer she's had this day, she agreed.

They spent a good couple of hours just talking and reminiscing high school. It couldn't be avoided when the topic would sometimes segue to Elena and she didn't mind. Matt never mentioned Kai, the prison world, and Damon's choice. It was a comforting feeling to be able to talk to someone so genuine, someone who was just glad that she's there alive and talking to him. She wanted to hug him because she missed him. 

They ended up sitting side by side on his couch, her head resting on his right shoulder. When there was finally a lull to their conversation, she closed her eyes and savored the comfortable quiet. 

Matt felt her head loll forward and he raised his right palm to keep Bonnie from kissing her knees. He gave the top of Bonnie's head a small kiss and carefully laid her on the couch. He pulled the blanket that was hanging at the back of the seat and covered Bonnie with it to keep her warm. 

He knew that something was bothering her the moment she didn't answer his question when he found her on his way home. He didn't push her when she never alluded to it while they were talking. When she's ready to spill, he'd be there. At the moment, he was satisfied that he was able to help her get what looked like some much needed sleep.

Carrying their mugs over to the kitchen, his cellphone went off before he reached the sink. He was juggling those along with a couple of plates he swiped over the counter. By the time he got ahold of his phone, he already missed the call. 

'What did Damon want?' he thought, looking at the missed call log. He was still considering if he'd return it because he didn't really want to cater to the resident asshole when his phone started ringing again. He rolled his eyes.

"Damon."

"You know a missing person may turn up dead if you don't answer your phone, Donovan." 

Matt had to bite his tongue before he answered. "What do you need, Damon?" adopting a bored tone to imply that he's not at his beck and call for his every supposed emergency.

"Bonnie's missing and she's not answering her phone. She was not home when I came back from the Grille. I've called Caroline and she said she left Bonnie at the boarding house earlier. I've gone to her house but she's not there. I'm at her grandmother's right now and it's more quiet than a cemetary on a Tuesday. Stefan doesn't know any-"

It didn't escape Matt that Damon just referred the boarding house as Bonnie's 'home' but chose to interrupt Damon's escalating voice every sentence he started.

"She's here with me." 

"What?!"

"Hold the panic button, she's here."

There were a couple of seconds of static. Matt assumed Damon was trying to calm down as well as figuring out what the hell Bonnie was doing at his house.

"Da-" A loud knock interrupted him.

"Open the door, Mutt." Damon said through the phone then clicked off.

Matt groaned, his head tilting back. He envied Bonnie and wanted to cap off his day too. He felt a headache coming in the form of an obnoxious vampire.

'Might as well get this over with.' He opened the door.

"Damon."

"Mutt."

"Where is she?" Damon impatiently asked. 

Matt frowned. No one demanded anything from him in his own home. He didn't know what was going on, but he could take a guess that Damon may be the reason his oldest friend could not sleep. He would not entertain anyone who would bother Bonnie at this ungodly hour. Especially the biggest asshole this side of Virginia.

"She's sleeping, Damon. Nothing to worry about."

"Let me in." 

Matt thanked God that he had never found a reason to invite the bloodsucker into his home. He still has no reason to.

"No."

"What do you mean, no?" Damon's eyes changing to cold, cold blue, his jaw ticking.

"Did I stutter?" Matt knew he was risking Damon's wrath. Damnit, he's tired and wanted to get some rest too and he didn't care if Damon threw a tantrum. No one will bother Bonnie.

"I could break your neck in less than a second, Donovan."

"Yeah, unless you can cross the threshold at the moment, you can threaten me some other time." He pinched the bridge of the nose.

"Look Damon, you know she's safe. I'm sure you can hear her heartbeat from where you're standing. She seemed tired and I didn't have the heart to wake her just so I can bring her back to her Grams' house." Matt tried to assure him but couldn't help inserting the light jab. Like hell he's going to bring her back the boarding house.

It was taking a lot for Damon not to blow up while trying to ignore why he didn't like the idea of Bonnie not sleeping at the boarding house. He listened to her steady heartbeat and he tried to calm himself further with the even thuds. He hated that he felt stupid now and in front of the newest member of the force no less.

He stepped back. "Tell her I'll see her tomorrow." 

Matt blinked and he was gone. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bonnie smelled coffee first before she dragged her eyes open. She was tempted to bury herself further under the blanket she found that was enveloping her form. But she heeded the coffee's call after stretching like a cat and stared at a steaming cup of coffee right in front of her. 

It took her a moment to remember where she was. Lying on her side, she didn't immediately recognize her surroundings on her tilted perspective. 

"Great. You're up."

She gasped and stood too fast from the couch. The blanket was wrapped tightly around her legs and Matt had to give her a hand to steady her. 

"Woah there. Take it easy, Bonnie."

The witch sat back down and took a deep breath then reached for the coffee. "Sorry. You scared me." 

She took a sip and almost had an orgasm as the hot, bitter taste slid down her throat. "Thanks for letting me sleep over. I might've killed you if you woke me up." She added, still savoring her coffee.

Matt grinned. "I know. Knew it in my heart that you wanted to stay the night." He closed is eyes, his palm over his chest. "So I take it, you slept well?"

"Yes, thank you. Best rest I've had this week." She beamed.

"Of course. You got it from the best." He replied, his eyebrows wagging.

"Oh you know it, stud." 

"I do." 

They smiled at each other for a couple of minutes, then burst out laughing. It's been a while and she missed their 'fake boyfriend/girlfriend' banter, something they've done since forever. Bonnie had an overwhelming urge to hug him.

"So, if you'll be ready in a few, I'll drop you off to...the boarding house or Grams?" Bonnie's awake now so he didn't need to decide for her. No question, he'd just drop her off to Grams just to piss Damon off if it were up to him.

"Grams." Bonnie answered. Matt nodded, silently approving the decision.

Bonnie stood up and proceeded to fold the blanket neatly. 

"Oh, Damon was here." The tiny witch stopped midway to the kitchen with her now empty mug. 

She winced before asking, "When?"

"Last night." Matt watched Bonnie closely as she schooled her face, devoid of any emotion. 

'Oh Bonnie, but your eyes always give you away.' Matt thought and he didn't like how her beautiful greens looked troubled when he mentioned Damon.

"What did he want?" she asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Matt replied, his first try in figuring out what was bothering Bonnie. He had followed her to the kitchen, setting his mug beside hers.

Bonnie shrugged. She took both of their mugs and concentrated washing them which gave her all of two minutes to think of how to respond.

"My phone died and left it at Grams when I took a walk. Damon got paranoid, I guess."

"He seems to get very paranoid about you...lately." Bonnie held off the grimace at his observation. She already had this discussion with Caroline which, by the way, the implication was proven wrong last night. Apparently, it was way off base. She quickly blanked her mind out before she dwelled on that further.

She turned to give Matt a look. The junior officer quickly raised his hands as if Bonnie would literally or magically throw the clean mug that she was still holding at him. The witch had to smile at his reaction.

She opened a drawer and put the clean mug inside then turned back to Matt with her hands on her waist. "Take me home, Matt."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To say that a lot of things were going through the witch's head was an understatement. Like any strong-willed Bennett, she couldn't wallow in misery. She had to do something, accomplish something. Anything to keep her mind from stopping and let her heart take over and overwhelm her with emotions she already tried to purge the night before. So she willed herself to catalogue, prioritize, weed out unnecessary feelings, and created a game plan. A sense of pride balmed her erratic emotions as she felt like she was getting past this unexpected personal hurdle. 

Matt's car slowed in front of her Grams' house and all the things her mind conjured as a distraction crumbled to a pile. She wanted to slouch down on the passenger seat and almost told Matt to take her to her home instead. That would just garner a lot of questions from Matt and would be too obvious for her visitor to suspect that something was awry.

Damon Salvatore was waiting at the front porch.

To Matt, it would seem that Bonnie was taking a tad too long to get out of his car. "Oh yeah, Damon mentioned he'd see you."

Bonnie just nodded. She turned to him. "Thanks Matt for last night." 

She reached over and hugged him. Matt was a bit surprised at the gesture, not really knowing what was going on and how much he helped her, but accepted it all the same. He squeezed her back in assurance.

"We should do it again, some time." he said as Bonnie closed the passenger door. "You know, hang out."

She liked that idea. "We should. Let me know what you have in mind." she agreed, her lips quirking to a smile.

"Ooh, the possibilities." Matt replied, mischief lurking in his eyes.

Just like that, he was able to ease her mind from the worry that had been nagging her since they left his house. 

"Surprise me." She answered back, leaning over-seductively for game effect.

"I will, honey. Fair warning, you might not be able to handle it."

"I'll come prepared." This time, she waggled her eyebrows. 

They both laughed at that. 

"See you, Matt." Bonnie watched him give her a small salute and went on his way.

When she turned around, she bumped into a hard chest. "Jesus, Damon. What the..." 

Her palm went over her heart like it would help slow it down from racing. Bonnie had her eyes closed momentarily to give herself time to calm down so she missed Damon's glare as his eyes followed Matt's truck.

Bonnie wasn't exactly ready to face him and she was scrambling for ideas how to deflect Damon. Anything. 

"Is there something in particular that you need, Damon?" She asked, walking around him.

Damon finally turned his attention to the absentee witch who acted like she wasn't missing for the past twelve hours. "I need to know why you couldn't have told me you weren't sleeping at the boarding house."

"My phone died and I forgot to bring it with me when I charged it, Dad. Then Matt and I hung out. Sorry I missed my curfew." 

She was being nonchalant about the whole thing when he was scouring the town trying to find her. He took deep breaths that he didn't need to take just to go through the motion of calming the fuck down. 

He knew he was overreacting but she didn't know all the scenarios that passed through his mind the moment he realized she wasn't home. The last one was of Elena suddenly showing up at his door. 

It chilled him to the bone.

Bonnie watched as Damon struggled not to berate her and for a minute, she took pity. It looked like he was wearing the same thing he wore last night, his hair was messily finger combed, and he kept switching his feet. Someone barely got any sleep last night. 

"Hey." She waved a hand in front of him so that he would look at her. "I'm sorry, I just came here to check out Grams house after all this time. I couldn't sleep, took a walk, and Matt just happened to pass by so we hung out."

He nodded. It was a fine line he was toeing and he wasn't sure how to manage his separation anxiety from Bonnie. It could be lingering PTSD, it could be general concern for his best friend, or it could be something he suspected early on but kept ignoring since they were trapped in 1994 prison world.

When he didn't say anything, Bonnie took it as the end of the discussion. Once again, she went around her grandmother's house and walked towards the forest beyond the backyard. 

"Where are we going?" Damon asked somewhere behind her. 

Bonnie couldn't stop making a face when she heard his voice. She was hoping that he would leave her be for the time being. Seeing Damon so soon, she felt the urge to reconnect with nature one more time and regain some much needed balance.

"The forest."

"Obviously."

She ignored him and went searching for the spot she had taken the night before. It wasn't hard to find and she made herself at home once more within the confines of the roots. With the sun high and the sky so clear, it looked even more peaceful.

Damon watched her take her seat, folder her legs indian style and closed her eyes. He knew he should leave and let her be. He had no business with the witch's commune with nature. But after not having seen her for the past several hours, he wanted to drink his fill of her presence. If she needed mother nature for balance, he needed her to ground him. Snipe at him, banter with him, give him an aneurysm. Anything.

Of course, Damon being Damon, he had to break the momentary peace.

"So...I didn't know you and Matt were close."

Bonnie sighed. So much for clearing her head. She opened her eyes and was taken aback at Damon's close proximity. He was mirroring her seated position and close enough that the slightest movement would rub his knees against her.

"There are a lot of things you still don't know about me." She shrugged.

"And that includes Matt." he stated, his eyes boring into hers.

She frowned and stared straight back. "What exactly are you asking?" Unlike other people, she wasn't easily flustered by the vampire's intense gaze. Especially when she's not in the mood.

"I'm not asking anything. Just stating a just proven fact." he answered, still not blinking.

Bonnie gave him a last droll look before she closed her eyes again and took a deep breath. She didn't care. She can block him out.

"So..."

Fuck it. She opened her eyes.

"Do you have a problem with Matt for some reason?"

"Well, I have a lot of problems with Donovan."

"Anything in particular recently that you care to share since you keep bringing him up?"

Damon visibly stiffened. "No."

"Could've fooled me."

"Are you implying something?"

"Nothing at all. Are you?" Her eyes narrowed and she looked like she was about to set him on fire. If he was trying to get a rise out of her, it was working. She wasn't sure where this was heading and the confusion is dancing on her nerves. Her fingers were tingling with unleashed magic and Damon was giving her a reason to use it in a violent way.

"No." he answered, still not breaking eye contact.

Bonnie didn't believe him.

A warm breeze passed through them and Bonnie's vision blurred for a moment as some of her hair blocked her view. Damon automatically reached out to tuck a lock in place behind her ear. After Caroline's observation on Damon's supposed 'affectionate' ways and last night's revelation, Bonnie couldn't help turn her head away to avoid any contact. The vampire's hand stilled for a second before he dropped it.

"Tell me what's wrong." he spat through gritted teeth.

"Nothing."

"Really? Then why do I feel like we time warped to the first time we met and I'm everything Sheila warned you to avoid?"

"It's not like that." Close but not the same.

"Then what is it?"

"It's...not..." And for a brief moment, the wall she'd kept building and building since she woke up threatened to crumble. 

Damon watched her eyes break away from his to wander somewhere to his right. He could smell salty fluid and realized they were tears that started pooling in her eyes. She blinked and they were gone just like that.

"...something you're willing to share." he continued for her.

"It's not something you need to concern yourself about." The eyes that looked back at Damon were as dry as the desert. "I'll...handle it." At least, she thought, that was partly true.

"Is Matt helping you 'handle' it?" For the life of him, he just couldn't let it go.

Bonnie looked like Damon just told her he had just had sex with Matt. She swore if he mentioned Matt's name again, she'd give him the aneurysm of the century while burning his body from the inside out.

"If he is, what is it to you?" she asked, knowing it will aggravate him further.

She was expecting him to snap, say something he would regret, something she could use as an excuse to avoid him moving forward. Instead, he looked uncomfortable, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. He looked like he didn't want to say the truth and knew for certain that she wouldn't like it. His head went from side to side like the words will just tumble from his mouth if he shook it hard enough. 

"I don't like sharing you."

Damon knew he crossed some proverbial line. It felt like he plowed through it with a fuck you sign in the air. 

Although Bonnie's his best friend and he had spent four good months to know what may be going through her head, the last thing he expected to hear after what he said was, "Damon, I think it's best that I stay here at Grams from now on."


	3. Chapter 3

Danvers, Massachussetts  
\---------------------

She dropped her backpack on one of the worn chairs in the mini dining table. She didn't move and just stared at it as it deflated  
slowly, sliding slowly to its side. Bonnie felt like following it, flop on the bed, then slowly exhale until she can sleep to oblivion.  
Hopefully, all she'd been working on will be done, get the results she'd been hoping for, and go home where she can start over.

She gave out a snort. Right. Start over.

From where exactly, she wasn't sure. She was pretty certain when she started this mission. At the beginning, her plan was  
straightforward. One goal, one result. She was adamant that she was doing the right thing. If anyone would ask her if she was sure  
of what she wanted and what she was doing now, she would say with conviction that she's doing what needed to be done. She shut  
her eyes hard, convincing herself this was still true. Then repeat the message in her head just for good measure.

She opened her eyes, raised her head, and rotated it slowly until she heard the small pops in her neck. Her gaze landed at the  
corner of the room where the wall met the ceiling and a cobweb hanging on for dear life.

Say it one more time, Bonnie, with feelings.

The available bed on this cheap motel room wasn't in any way inviting but beggars can't be choosers so she just went over to it to  
take a break, chucking her sneakers on the way. Her entire body smelled like dried sweat and she's sure she'd offend someone  
with just her presence if she had a roommate. A partner.

Ugh. She rubbed the balls of her palms against her eyelids as if it would help keep her thoughts from where it was headed.

It's been less than a week since she last talked to Damon and the lack of narcissistic assholery as her background noise made this  
journey even more lonely.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

 

One week earlier  
\--------------

 

"Damon, I think it's best that I stay here at Grams from now on."

It took a few seconds before Bonnie's words sunk in and to be honest, Damon didn't get where it was coming from. Since he didn't  
see any good reason why she would want that, the only reply he could think of was, "No."

And like hell that would sit well with the Bennett witch. Her eyes narrowed infinitesimally, spine straightened, and her magic  
simmered underneath her skin.

"If you hadn't noticed, I wasn't asking for your permission."

Damon didn't show any sign her reply registered but inside, he was trembling, trying to keep from vamping out due to anger. He just  
spent the night looking for her. He just found her. Wasn't twelve hours enough space?

None of this came out of his mouth of course. His misplaced possessiveness aside, he had no claim to the witch and had settled  
with waiting for the love of his life to wake up after 60 years. In which case, a judgey, nagging voice will forever be silenced.

And there lied the problem. A world without the self-rightous voice of a diminutive witch is not a world Damon was ready for.

Bonnie watched as her best friend slowly shook his head, seeing an inner turmoil she couldn't understand.

"Damon-"

"Why?" He asked, cutting off whatever she wanted to say. Her tone struck a wrong chord in him and he knew he wouldn't like  
whatever came after his name.

Bonnie debated if she should try for honesty, but the hurt girl in her held on to her pride. She would never let him know how it felt to  
know she's a regret. She's not going to offer her open wound to someone who may be holding a swab of cotton dripping of alcohol.  
She pushed that imaginary cotton aside and deflected, moving the conversation a little bit sideways.

"You didn't think I'd stay at the boarding house forever, did you?"

'Yes.' was at the tip of his tongue. For some reason, that question caught Damon off guard. No, there was no mutual agreement  
that she'd stay there indefinitely. He just didn't think she'd try to get off his hair this soon.

Her eyebrows raised in surprise, reading his stony silence perfectly like she heard his resounding answer. Well...crap.

She bit her lip as she measured the words to appease him, a reassuring hand over his knee. "Hey."

"I really do appreciate allowing me to stay at the boarding house. You knew I needed that." They both did.

Bonnie tried not to flinch when Damon covered her hand that rested on his knee, trapping it firmly like he knew she was ready to  
flee any moment. If he thought that, he wasn't entirely wrong.

"But you don't need it anymore." he said, daring her to deny.

Actually, she did. It felt easier acclimating herself back to reality. It still was. Yet she also realized that they were using each other  
as band-aid comfort. That wasn't healthy either, right?

He took her silence as an affirmative, pushing himself up and away from her. "I guess I'll see you around, Bennett."

Bonnie blinked and he was gone.

  
6 days earlier  
\------------

Finding Damon drinking bourbon first thing in the morning wasn't unusual. What was peculiar was doing it in Bonnie's designated  
room in the boarding house. He sipped his drink as he lounged on the bed like this was always the way he started his morning,  
paying no mind to the few displaced things around - a sweater haphazardly thrown on the chair, a towel at the edge of the bed  
where his heel rested, a lone lip gloss on top of the dresser. Yet another thing that Stefan deemed odd. The mild clutter would've  
annoyed the heck out of his brother but he seemed perfectly fine with it as he eyed Damon's expensive boot resting on top of the  
towel.

"Where's Bonnie?" he asked.

"At Sheila's house." Damon replied, his eyes never acknowledging him. Apparently, the nothingness he stared at was more  
appealing than Stefan.

"And you're here because?" Stefan glanced around the room and back to Damon's unreadable face.

"My house. Technically, my room."

Stefan could probe further, goad him into letting him know what's with the back-to-back brooding. His ears perked up when he  
heard the front door opening and closing and knew Caroline was here. He just shrugged and left Damon there.

The younger Salvatore returned home after dinner time to find his brother drinking yet another glass of alcohol. This scene was  
pretty much the same one Stefan left Damon in that morning except for the area of the house. Brooding Damon on consecutive  
nights, he tried to figure out what to say to get his brother out of this funk.

He went with the obvious. "You're sulking."

"I'm enjoying my drink and the quietness of the house, which you ruined by the way, and I'm 'sulking'?"

"So Bonnie won't be staying here anymore?" asked as an answer to his question.

Damon rolled his eyes and Stefan couldn't help but think that it was a very Bonnie thing to do. His lips twitched as he tried to keep  
his expression neutral. This was no easy feat while he watched his brother pour himself another glass, his eyes glared every other  
second at his cellphone that sat on top of the coffee table.

"Try dialing her number. I'm sure it would ring."

Damon's head barely moved at his direction but his eyes were quick, shooting blunt, rusty daggers. It's safe to think that Damon  
was imagining Stefan's neck red, his skin twisted while his fingers squeezed. The younger Salvatore grinned, turned around, and  
left his older brother 'not sulking.'

  
5 days earlier  
\------------

The sun was already setting and Bonnie has yet made it to the bathroom to clean herself up. She had been down at her  
grandmother's basement, rooting and arranging stuff around. There were not a lot of significance or of real value (which means any  
witch-related items) that looked useful.

She did find an old photograph of Grams with her grandfather. She had never met him and just saw a few pictures of him. From  
what she remembered, he died of an illness before she was born. Her dad and Grams didn't talk about him a lot. She assumed that  
her dad didn't know much about him either since he wasn't from his side of the family while she just assumed Grams didn't like  
talking about her late husband because it was just painful.

The picture had yellowed from age but was clear enough to see Grams and her grandfather's faces. They seemed happy, her  
grandmother's eyes wrinkled at the corners as she smiled. Her grandfather had a wide grin on his face and she couldn't help  
smiling, his green eyes alight with mischief. It warmed her to know that she now knew where she she got her eyes.

She flipped the photograph over and read the inscription. "Danvers, Mass. - 1977, Sheila Bennett, Jonathan Wood-Bennett"

Huh. His grandfather took the Bennett name instead of her grandmother changing it to his. Just like her father.

She took a closer look at the worn leather booklet where the photo was inserted. When she saw the photo, she had forgotten about  
the book for a while as seeing her grandparents' happy faces got her full attention. Sadly, happy Bennetts are a rarity and it gave  
her some relief that her grandparents at least had a bit of that in their lives.

She opened the simple notebook that was a tad worn at the edges. The first page had a title written on it.

"Solutus"

Bonnie felt as if her heart stopped dead at what the word suddenly meant to her, yet it also seemed like her pulse pounded  
deafeningly. She quickly turned the page and she gasped. It was a book specifically to break link and bond spells. She flipped the  
pages carefully, trying to make sure that she was understanding them correctly. There were only a few that fit the small notebook  
and all seemed elaborate, heavy magic. These were not simple spells. These were highly difficult, extremely dangerous instructions  
that needed powerful elements and even more powerful energy to execute them.

She closed the booklet slowly, her fingers carefully caressing the leather. She wondered if her grandfather was a warlock, a witch  
like her grams.

Bonnie held the book against her chest and closed her eyes. Are her grandparents telling her something? Is she finally getting  
something, any sign of their guidance that she'd been hoping for?

After a couple of days of cleaning and searching, this was suddenly a lot to take in. She dusted off her sweatpants as she got up  
and decided to take a much needed shower. She would like to rest but she had a feeling she won't sleep a wink with the new found  
mini-grimoire nearby.

\-------------------------------

He was sitting against the wall of the house, listening as she walked around, her heartbeat quickening then slowing back down to a  
steady pace. He wondered what made her excited in that brief moment. He wondered what was occupying her time for the past  
couple of days.

This was stupid, he knew, listening to her outside of her grandmother's home, doing whatever she was doing that seemed to have  
kept her busy, things that had nothing to do with him. That surprisingly hurt and if someone asked him, he'd deny it vehemently. He  
had gotten so used to her being around him and he couldn't understand why it affected him that Bonnie seemed to be doing fine on  
her own. No phone call, no text message. Not that he didn't do the same either. Pride didn't allow him to search her number and  
swipe to call so he just resorted to glaring at it. When that got old, he went to her.

His ears perked up when Bonnie seemed to be coming closer to the front door. He prepared himself to speed away if she so much  
touched the door handle but he relaxed when he heard her feet pad farther past, seeming to have turned and climbed up the stairs  
to her room. He caught a whiff of cinnamon and then his gums itched when her essence was heightened by her sweat. She must  
have been working quite hard.

Bonnie in her natural splendor was distractingly intoxicating. He found that out one of those mundane days at the 1994 prison  
world. He had followed her scent and found her at one of the spare rooms surrounded by unlit candles. It was probably her fiftieth  
try of getting her magic back and she was getting frustrated. He had seen it at the rigid line of her tense shoulders, her clenched  
fists, the fine sheen of sweat around her neck and the edge of her forehead where it met her hair as well as above her upper lip.  
The smell hit him like a freight train without brakes and he had to step back at the impact. He dragged another breath in and his  
fangs descended, his veins emerging, and his eyes bled black. He was rock hard and he thought mini-Damon would burst through  
his jeans. Bonnie's head tilted like she heard something and he sped down right out of the house until he was in the forest. It took  
him about 15 minutes before he was able to calm down.

Right now, he groaned as he fought back his 'happy face,' perspiration prickling his brow as he willed his fangs to push back up his  
gums. Fortunately, he heard a shower turn on and the scent was replaced by clinical soap.

He took a deep breath to let it cleanse his temporary perversion, then left.

  
4 days earlier  
\------------

Bonnie looked at her mirror image and sighed. Yeah, even make-up won't be able to mask her age. She wasn't old for sure but it  
felt like she aged a decade in just a few months. She tried a smile but had to stop as it scared her how uncomfortable it looked on  
her. She shrugged off the discontent that had been shrouding her for the past week and took a deep breath. Maybe a movie is just  
the thing to take her mind off of things.

She glanced at the photograph on top of her dresser and some warmth coursed through her that she felt from scalp to toes. Her  
grandparents' smiles were contagious. Tomorrow she'll study the book. Now, she just wanted to relax. She grabbed her purse and  
left her room, taking the stairs down two at a time. When she swung open her door, her determination to let down her hair wavered  
at the sight of Damon's smirk.

This would be the first time she'd seen him since she decided to move out of the boarding house. Neither one of them reached out  
to the other for the past couple of days and eyeing each other on opposite sides of her Grams' front door was beyond awkward.  
Bonnie gave in first to end the staring contest.

"Hey stranger."

"Hello Bon." His smirk deepened.

Bonnie rolled her eyes and leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed. "Can I help you, Damon?" she asked as an eyebrow rose.

It was Damon's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh don't be like that, Bon Bon. You don't text, you don't call. One would think you don't care  
about your insanely hot best friend."

If Bonnie rolled her eyes again, she was afraid it would get stuck on mid-roll. "Caroline seemed fine when I talked to her earlier."

Damon slapped a hand over his chest in mock hurt and Bonnie couldn't contain her smile. "Ooh. A stake right through your dead  
heart." she said as she took a step outside.

His light blue eyes turned serious, sweeping from her short dark hair, her simple blouse and skinny jeans, down to her practical  
ankle boots. His gaze went back up to muddy green eyes that didn't miss his perusal. He had missed her and it surprised him how  
much he relied on her presence to calm him - a habit he acquired at the 1994 prison world.

"The phone works both ways, Damon."

"Well I don't know. You seemed so intent on being left alone, I was just giving you the space you claimed to need."

His tone rubbed her the wrong way. She'd like to think that Damon has changed and his world no longer revolved around Elena  
alone but she realized that although he has included her in is tight circle of people he cared about, she's no match to the  
doppelganger. And she was actually fine with that because to be honest, it was quite an improvement considering how they  
started. She spent four months listening to him talk about Elena and she understood it - what kind of love meant to Damon and  
how that love translated to her best friend. She couldn't say she all the way approved it, but she got it. So she'd be optimistic if she  
was a distant fifth behind Elena, Stefan, Katherine, and bloodlust. She was just glad she was in the circle at all.

But that night at the Grille made her question her place and she did what she has done all her life to overcome disappointments.  
There was nobody else who can protect her better than herself. What else was she supposed to do? Wait until his guilt threatened  
to spillover and eventually hurt her? Maybe even kill her?

She tried to calm herself before her thoughts went further and she wouldn't be able to stop the biting words that might come out of  
her mouth.

"And you've decided that I've had all the space I needed?" she asked instead, not being able to keep the edge to her words.

Damon, for his part, missed the bit of tension in her voice. He was temporarily lost in her mercurial eyes, breathing in the cinnamon  
scent she carried, taming the restlessness he'd been feeling for the past couple of days.

"I miss you." came out before he could stop himself. It was a confession he knew gave himself away too much, showing Bonnie  
how much power she had on him. He wasn't sure he liked how she was looking at him now, like he was a calculus formula that a  
fifth grader had to solve. Knowing Bonnie, she would immediately nitpick on the complications of such a simple statement. He  
could see it on her face, mulling over his words.

_'God, just take it at face value, woman.'_

Then he saw her shoulders slump in resignation, a small smile on her lips. "I missed you too."

Damon tried not to beam. "Now, was that too hard to admit?"

'If he only knew how much.' she thought. "So what's up?" shrugging off the question.

"I was just picking you up to go somewhere with me. I haven't seen you in forever." The last word lilting in a bad Caroline  
impression as he slung his arm around Bonnie's shoulders.

"That would've been nice." she replied, feeling Damon give her a gentle squeeze. "How about we reschedule to tomorrow?"

Damon was steering her towards the Camaro when he stopped at her words. "What? Why?" The whine that Bonnie heard  
reminded her that she had an almost 200-year-old vampire best friend with a maturity of a 12-year-old.

Damon was starting to get a little frustrated. Why was it suddenly so hard to spend time with her? He refused to think she was  
doing it on purpose.

"If you had called earlier and made plans, then I'd go. But Matt was considerate and did call yesterday so I'll be picking him up at  
the station." She quickly checked the time. Whoa. The movie they'd planned on watching will be starting in 40 minutes. When she  
looked back at Damon, he was frowning so severely she thought she might have inadvertently given him an aneurysm. It wouldn't  
be the first time.

"I'll pick you up at the theater after your movie." He said, holding his ground.

Bonnie looked like she was pondering the same formula from earlier and was nowhere near the answer. And before she  
progressed to a solution, Damon was pushing her lightly towards her car.

"Go. I'll see you in a couple of hours." He opened her car door for her, all but placed her on the driver's seat, then tapped the  
window to see her off as if it was all decided. He sped over to his car before the bewildered witch could protest.

\-------------------------------

Bonnie and Matt didn't care for the movie they just watched. They hadn't checked the movie reviews and just went for it which is  
why they were now smacking themselves for the wasted money. Not that they didn't have fun though. By the first groan-inducing  
cheesy line, they had laughed themselves silly, had started matching the corny lines with their own, had created their own dialogue,  
and pissed off a few people seated close to them. They tried to tone it down for the other moviegoers' sake but this only made  
them laugh even harder. By the time they left before the sappy soundtrack was blaring, Bonnie was wiping tears from her eyes and  
catching her breath.

Damon was waiting across the street, right in front of the theater when the two friends came out. His eyes narrowed infinitesimally  
at the picture they painted. They were both sharing a joke with Bonnie smiling behind a hand that was keeping her from bursting  
into a fit of laughter. The uncharacteristic muffled giggle that reached him tugged something in his chest and his ears perked like a  
dog when it noticed something interesting.

It has been a while since he's seen her so worry-free and he stood straighter at the rare sight. It was a contagious thing and the  
beginnings of a smile of his own was sneaking its way on the surface. However, it faltered when he eyed her arm wrapped around  
Matt's, which the junior officer secured tightly against his body with both his hands in his pockets. Damon begrudgingly admitted  
that they looked like they enjoyed themselves and for a millisecond, Damon hesitated, thinking of cancelling his plans if it meant  
prolonging this happy state for the witch. But seeing them carefree, friendly, and close made him uneasy. Unsettled.

He cleared his throat to get his bearings and waited for Bonnie to notice him. She always did.

Bonnie glanced at her wrist and checked how long the movie was. Seeing it was about two hours since she talked to Damon, she  
looked around to see if he was anywhere near and found him waiting for her across the street. She kept her smile as she nodded to  
him although she couldn't help lose a bit of its sincerity. She wasn't sure she was ready for Damon.

She turned to Matt. "Damon's here. I should go."

Matt nodded, not taking his eyes off Damon. Bonnie was a very dear friend and he wasn't sure what to make of this newfound  
close friendship she had with the older Salvatore. But since the guy had miraculously earned Bonnie's trust, he never said anything.  
However, something seemed to have shifted lately and he's not getting the comfortable vibe from his friend.

"You sure you can't ditch the vampire?" he stage whispered, knowing Damon could hear him well.

They felt a sudden gust of wind and just like that, light blue eyes stared down ocean blue ones. Matt rolled his eyes. Damon was so  
easy to mess with.

"Let's go, Bon-bon." Damon said, his voice deceptively light. He waited impatiently as Bonnie hugged Matt goodbye.

Matt hugged her back and gave her temple a kiss. "Seeyah, Bonnie. I'll call you." Then he started to walk away, ignoring Damon.

"Matt, wait!" she shouted when he was already several feet away. She threw her keys to him and Matt caught it easily. He grinned.  
They came with her car and had agreed that he'd take it home when she told him that Damon had plans after the movie.

When Bonnie turned to Damon, he was back beside his car with the passenger door open. She sighed inwardly.

\-------------------------------

They've been in the car for about ten minutes and Damon still hasn't told Bonnie where they were going even after several prodding  
from the uneasy witch. They didn't seem to be going anywhere far, but they were getting deeper in the less populated area. Damon  
made a turn to a back road and carefully maneuvered the rough stretch. They were very deep into the forest when he slowed down  
then finally turned off the engine.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. Damon just gave his default smirk and got out of the car. She sighed then turned to open her door. But  
before she could, it was already open with Damon peering down to her. "Come on, Bennett. Stop dilly-dallying."

Dilly-dallying? "Your age is showing, Damon." She got out of the car and Damon closed the door.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"The forest."

"Obviously."

"Didn't we have this conversation already?"

Bonnie could barely see him in the dark but she knew he was enjoying this for some reason. "And we're here because...?"

"You'll see." He took her hand and started to walk away from the car.

When Bonnie was six, she had a terrible fear of spiders. Just the sight of an itsy bitsy one, not bigger than half an inch, made her run  
away screaming. Her father who had had enough of her climbing all over him to get away from the harmless animal, made her face  
her fear one afternoon. He rooted under some bush and held out a twig with a tiny spider hanging at the end. He asked her not to  
move. She had wanted to cry but her dad soothed her and asked her to trust him. She had trembled and had held her breath when  
her father slowly placed the tiny eight-legged monster on her palm. Her dad watched her for a moment then asked her to slowly put  
her hand on the floor. After a few breathless but shaky seconds, the spider left her palm and went away.

It may be an exaggeration but that feeling was akin to how she felt with Damon holding her hand. He was leading the way to  
wherever and all she could think of was shaking her hand loose. When, for some reason, he changed his hold to lace his fingers  
between hers while he guided her to their destination, the urge to burn or zap his hand was overwhelming.

"Wait." She tugged her hand free and got her cellphone out of her pocket. She turned on its built-in flashlight. "I'm tired of walking  
around in the dark. Go ahead. I'll follow."

She gestured for him to lead before he could possibly try to take her hand again. It was a relief when Damon did as suggested.

Not long after, she heard running water. There was a clearing ahead and the trees opened up. She held in a gasp.

There was a hole in the mountain where water gushed out, creating the smallest waterfall she's ever seen. It was no less a  
breathtaking sight at this hour against the moonlight. She stood there in stunned silence at the picturesque view.

"How'd you find this place?" she asked in wonder.

Damon watched her intently. "By accident." He then turned away to survey the same scene. "One of those days I was trying to get  
you back."

He didn't elaborate because it was one of those rough times and he wasn't in a good place. He would trek the woods with Mr.  
Cuddles in hand just to get away and clear his head from the frustration, anger, and most of all, guilt. The first time he found the  
place, he had stood there like a statue for about an hour and trying to recreate 1994 in his mind.

Bonnie wasn't sure how to react to that. She was more than grateful that he had tried so hard. Out of all her friends, he was the one  
who didn't seem to have given up on her. She didn't really know how Damon was while she was still 'dead,' until she had some  
alone time with Caroline.

She was telling her about the awkward situation between Damon and Elena at the time.

 _"For the first time, I kind of felt for Damon." Caroline was saying when she got to the part when Elena had her memories of Damon_  
_erased. "To come back just to know that Elena didn't remember him?"_

 _Bonnie was on the same page too especially after listening to Damon talk about Elena for four months. "But it was kind of a_  
_blessing in disguise really. I'm not sure memory-intact Elena would've been okay with a deranged Damon."_

 _"Deranged? Who was he fighting then?" she had asked, frowning. Damon usually went crazy when a new villain was in town and_  
_would revert to his asshole ways when things were not going his way._

 _"No one exactly." Caroline shrugged and picked a non-existent lint off her pants. "Or maybe everyone." the blond muttered under_  
_her breath._

_But Bonnie had caught what she said. "Huh?"_

_Caroline bit her lip, not really wanting the conversation to go where it seemed to be heading. She sighed. "Damon felt he was the_  
_only one trying hard enough to get you back. Unless we had any good news or progress, he barely tolerated us."_

 _"Like Damon being a dick is something new." Bonnie said, not really hearing anything surprising even if Damon's less than stellar_  
_qualities were showing due to his concern for her._

_"He picked a fight with everyone, Bonnie. Everyone. Including Elena."_

_'Okay...so he was frustrated.' Bonnie thought. 'Why wouldn't he be plus Elena did not remember loving him, it would aggravate_  
_anyone.' she continued to think._

_"And he would disappear for periods at a time, looking worse for wear, and crazier every time he came back."_

_Bonnie had been silent, letting the information sink in. Caroline cleared her throat to change the mood. "But you're back now and_  
_all is right with the world." she said. "At least for the meantime."_

The vampire and the witch stood staring silently at the waterfalls, both contemplating on different things. Then Bonnie's stomach  
growled. In the near perfect silence, it announced itself like in an empty football statium. They both looked at each other and burst  
out laughing.

"What a way to ruin the moment, Bennett."

"Well, we could've gone somewhere to eat first and my stomach wouldn't be complaining."

Damon held up a finger telling her to give him a moment and he was gone before she could ask what he was up to. Then a gust of  
wind a few seconds later meant he was back.

When Bonnie had figured out what was going on, she was curiously watching Damon unfolding a blanket and placing a bag of food  
in the middle. She was hungry so she quickly went towards him, kneeling and trying to find out what he brought.

"What did you bring?" she asked, rooting in the bag. She wanted to find something good before her stomach growled again but she  
couldn't tell if she was holding bread or meat in the dark.

Damon playfully swatted her hand away from the bag before he reached over and produced two identical big ass candles.

"Be my guest." Damon said.

Bonnie looked at him for a moment then closed her eyes until twin long flames flickered from their wicks. She smiled at the  
improved lighting until she looked at the markings on the candles.

"You stole these candles from a church?" She wanted to smack Damon's head.

"What? They have a lot of spare."

She was ready to retort but her stomach had other things in mind so she followed its orders and dug through the bag. Feed first  
then argue with Damon later, it said.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Bonnie opened a wide carton that had a label, 'Bon-Bon.' Perfect vampcakes stared right back at her.

She looked up at Damon and found him mirroring the vampcake's grin sans his own pointy teeth. Having strained feelings with the  
vampire lately, this made her less guarded and tense. 1994 prison world was difficult and messy when Kai came into the picture.  
But she remembered the easy routine they had before that, especially during breakfast. It was a reprieve that they wholeheartedly  
welcomed the monotony of their morning rituals before the day would eventually turn into the frustration of trying to find their way  
back home.

The witch cut out a chunk and made a big deal of stuffing it in her mouth. She at least remembered why the older Salvatore  
became her best friend. Damon poured himself a glass or bourbon and raised it towards her before drinking. Seeing Bonnie  
pancake-full wide smile, something warm started in his chest and he couldn't fall back to his trademark smirk but gave in a genuine  
smile.

"It's too quiet though." he said, after watching Bonnie practically inhale her food. He took out his phone, took a series of swipes,  
and then...

_'Hey, yeah! I wanna shoop, baby'_

Bonnie's eyes widened and almost choked on the last piece of pancake she had shoved in her mouth. Damon waggled his  
eyebrows and started bobbing his head. The witch squealed, her feet stomping excitedly.

Damon got up and reached a hand out for Bonnie to take.

_'Here I go, here I go, here I go again'_

Bonnie took it and stood up.

_'Girls, what's my weakness?'_

"Men!" They both shouted then continued to sing along with the lyrics.

 _'Ok then, chillin', chillin', mindin' my business (word)_  
_Yo, Salt, I looked around, and I couldn't believe this_  
_I swear, I stared, my niece my witness'_

The two danced to the music without a care that they're disturbing the tranquil environment. The vampire, awkward but hilariously  
boisterous while the witch, graceful and having the time of her life.

 _'Shoop shoop ba-doop_  
_Shoop ba-doop_  
_Shoop ba-doop ba-doop ba-doop'_

By the time the song ended, Bonnie was panting from laughter and the dancing. Damon had ended up with his arms around her,  
his head resting at her crown. He could feel the deep breaths against his chest and he breathed in time with her to calm her down.  
He tilted his head to sneak a peak at her face from behind.

"You good?" he asked.

Bonnie was still taking deep breaths, her eyes settling on the waterfalls and Damon could make out that the corners of it crinkled.

"Yeah." she answered. Her smile was serene, momentarily forgetting the reason she'd been avoiding him for the past couple of  
days.

Damon smiled in return. This turned out better than he thought and squeezed her shoulders gently before turning her around to  
face him.

"I could get used to this look." he said, peering down at her like she was a child.

"What look?" Bonnie looked down at her simple outfit, not really understanding what he meant.

"Happy."

Green eyes went back up at startling, almost glowing blues, her smile sobering. It was one loaded word, meaning he had been  
watching her closely and he had known something was off. That something was worrying her and under his intense gaze, she knew  
he wanted to fix it.

She knew her thoughts would ruin the moment but wasn't ready for it to do so. She tried to maintain the light mood. "It's a good  
look for you too." not letting go of her smile, her hand gesturing to his face.

"Well it's easy enough when you're around."

There was a moment Bonnie thought that it was a tad bit awkward to say but her common sense ignored it.

"Glad to be of service." she grinned, mimicking a customer service personnel and gave his shoulder a friendly punch.

She was about to turn back to the waterfalls when Damon prevented her, his hand grabbing the one that landed on him. He was  
staring at it, pondering something Bonnie wasn't sure she was ready to ask. When his other hand glided over hers, leaving her tiny  
one trapped between his, the urge to snatch her hand away came back with a vengeance.

Bonnie's spidey sense was tingling and alarm bells were ringing in her head.

"I think we can make each other happy." He said, still looking at her hand. His thumb caressed her knuckles which caused tiny  
hairs to rise from her hand to the back of her neck.

Bonnie blinked. She was too stunned to speak but her mind was going a hundred miles a minute, turning his words over and over,  
trying to understand what he meant.

Her first thought was actually, 'that's not what he meant.' Coldness traveled from her spine which contrasted against the warmth  
from her hand that was still cocooned in his. She dismissed the thought quickly, knowing no good will come out of it. She shook  
her head, ready to think of all other possible angles Damon could've intended. Her eye caught the yellow light from the church  
candles.

The blanket. The food. The view. Candlelight. Music.

What the...?

She staggered back taking it all in but Damon still had her hand. This left her arm outstretched and stiff but Bonnie couldn't be  
more glad that it gave them some semblance of space. Damon saw the moment it clicked in her mind, the second she knew and  
was taken aback. If she voiced it, he won't deny it. He couldn't.

To be honest, he hadn't meant to say it out loud but was not surprised when he did. It was something that had been there at the  
back of his head since their time at the prison world. It was a thought that planted a small seed one morning while flipping  
pancakes and Bonnie was yammering about something inane. The 'what if they couldn't find a way back' notion and he was  
actually okay with it. Apparently, this seed had strong roots and had grown over time despite the efforts on his part of ignoring it  
and practically squashing it while he was with the love of his life.

He watched Bonnie's face change from confusion to conflicted and then the shock. He was her best friend. He knew how this  
would not be easy.

The silence was deafening and Bonnie had yet to say something. Anything. Damon was about to break it when he noticed a  
shimmer at the edge of her hair where her forehead began. His eyes widened.

The singing. The dancing. Bonnie, breathless after the song ended.

It hit him. Hard.

The rush of earthy cinnamon and Bonnie's special scent filled him, flooding airways and dead nerves, awakening things that have  
been lifeless for more than a hundred years. It traveled straight to his brain and shot down to his groin.

Oh shit.

Bonnie knew he was watching her and she had never been so scared to look at him for different reasons. Then she felt him go still,  
his hands suddenly hard and unrelenting.

"Da-" The rest of his name was swallowed by lips that crashed on top of hers and took her breath away.

Bonnie's essence had fully clouded Damon's mind and she was too damn close to resist. It took him a second before he gave in,  
letting it go wherever it would take him. He thanked the stars, the gods, and whoever else was up there when Bonnie had her  
mouth blessedly open when he swooped in. He invaded it with his tongue, sliding in and unrepentant, with the determination of a  
colony taking over the land.

And what a fucking amazing land it was.

The need to be closer was unbearable even when he had pulled her up with arms that pressed her firmly against his chest. He could  
feel Bonnie's boots against his shin and barely realized that he had her off the ground. He couldn't care less.

'Closer' his mind commanded and his tongue followed obediently, massaging hers over and over and over. His body was singing  
with every swipe and he had to pull back when he felt his gums itch and his fangs started to descend.

Bonnie took this opportunity to take deep breaths and push away but Damon wouldn't budge. It was like moving a boulder. She  
watched with wide eyes as he tried to control the veins and his fangs. It's been a while since she's seen him vamp out and only  
during confrontation and violence. Definitely not due to passion and never this way. Not ever to her.

Since she couldn't push him away, she had leaned back trying to unscramble her brain from the effect of his kisses. Damon was  
having none of it and followed her, bending over until he had managed to reach her lips again. The contact was rousing another  
wave of heady arousal and he fought to control the fervor.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." he kept repeating between kisses, his lips gently trapping her plump lower lip then moving over to her upper  
lip. Without a doubt, he knew he was overwhelming her and he willed himself to calm the fuck down.

Bonnie tried not to be swayed by his ardor but when she felt he was losing the battle and he was starting to deepen the kiss again,  
she bowed her head as soon as she felt there was less pressure and turned her head away. She hugged him tight and laid her head  
against his shoulder, her arms around his neck. This seemed to effectively help slow Damon down as he listened to her catch her  
breath. He didn't try to kiss her again.

Damon closed his eyes tight, knowing that he and Bonnie won't be able to get back to whatever they were before. He didn't release  
her, just lowered his head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." he repeated softly against her neck.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

Danvers, Massachussetts

Present  
\---------------------

 

Bonnie shut her eyes, trying in vain to forget the feeling of the kiss.  She had to remember what she was here for.

She sighed in frustration and got up to retrieve her cellphone. She bit her lip, debating if she should turn it on. She dreaded what  
she would see after the cellphone lighted up.

27 missed calls from Damon.  
8 from Matt.  
6 from Caroline.  
1 from Ruby Wood.

There were three voice mails from Damon and one from Matt.

She stared at her phone and pondered for a long time what to do. She took a deep breath then swiped on Ruby Wood's contact  
number to return the call.


	4. Chapter 4

Danvers, Massachusetts  
\--------------------

"There's a full moon tomorrow. We can do this then." Ruby said on the phone. "It's our best chance."

Bonnie nodded even though she couldn't see her.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" her distant relative asked when she didn't hear a reply.

"I came all this way to choke?" She congratulated herself in keeping her voice steady with determination. "I'll see you at seven."

"Alright then." Ruby didn't hang up immediately and Bonnie heard the hesitation through the static.

"Ruby?" she asked.

"Are you ready, Bonnie? Are you...prepared?"

Bonnie panicked. Was she bailing on her? She was a long way from home and more than world weary. She didn't need that kind of setback right now.

"As prepared as I can be." was the best she could answer. If her grams were there, she'd have a disapproving look on her. "Look Ruby, I told you, the brunt of the spell will fall on me. You're just going to help..." she grasped for the right words. "...move me in the right direction." Ruby didn't need to know that if something wrong happens, Bonnie will be taking the hit not her.

"I know. I understand how the spell works. I'm just asking if the risk of what can happen to you is worth it."

Bonnie didn't know.

"Is it?" Ruby repeated.

"I think it will make things better." she replied quietly.

"For you or for someone else?"

Bonnie didn't have an answer for that.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

4 days earlier  
\-----------

The drive back was tense and eerily quiet. The only accompaniment was the roar of the Camaro's engine but it didn't dispel the choking silence between the vampire and the witch. Damon kept glancing at Bonnie since she never said a word since they left the waterfalls. There was no sigh or grunt, no aneurysm, no judgy lecture. Nothing.

He'd rather she be angry than silent. Anger would have given him a lead, a start to figure out how to fix things...or dig his grave even deeper. Bonnie wasn't giving him anything. Even her heart was thumping regularly, no fluctuation in tempo as a clue to what she was feeling.

It was a different kind of fear he felt. It was a fear he had no idea how to deal with, much less overcome it. He had never been in this situation before. He had never had a best friend. A real one. Their friendship was not born out of companionship after lustful encounters, nor was it out of the need to prove he's better than his brother. Bonnie was his friend first and foremost and losing her because his feelings changed seemed like a colossal mistake. And yet, he couldn't take it back if he wanted to.

His knuckles were white and he had to remove it from the steering wheel every now and then to flex it. He didn't need anything going wrong anymore like accidentally breaking the car, not with an unusually silent witch with him.

All too soon, they were in front of her grandmother's house and Damon wasn't sure he can let Bonnie go yet. Not like this.

Bonnie reached for the car door to leave. No smart remark. No goodbye. Nothing.

She didn't even look his way.

"Bonnie..." He couldn't help when panic made him reach for her hand to stop her. Any way to connect. Any reaction would do.

Her hand was tiny compared to his and his hand easily engulfed hers even when he was only aiming for her wrist. It seemed that he overwhelmed her in every way - his body, his emotions, his libido. He took solace at the fact that despite all that, Bonnie has always been up to the challenge, knowing exactly how to handle him, usually putting him in his place.

Bonnie shook her head, as if pleading for him not to continue. Damon giving her space during the drive home wasn't enough for her to sort out what happened earlier. She definitely didn't get anywhere near knowing how she felt about it, much less ready to discuss it with him. As far as she knew, someone just told her that the earth was flat and everything in the distance was falling off to space.

She had felt his anxiety since they got in his car, the furtive glances that she almost gave in to snap at him and tell him that Elena would be waiting for him if he didn't keep his eyes on the road.

Damnit.

Elena.

She squeezed her eyes shut and quickly removed her hand from his. "Damon, not right now."

She opened the car door and scrambled out of the car. She practically ran to the front door, but of course, Damon was already there blocking the entrance.

"Damon -" Bonnie started but he didn't let her continue.

"Bonnie, hear me out first before you dismiss this." His hand gestured between them. "Us."

The witch's green eyes widened. She wanted to run back to the street and stare at the horizon to check if objects were tumbling off to nothingness.

"Us? There's no 'us.' When did we ever become an 'us'?" she practically shouted and Damon's own aggravation quickly rose to the surface.

"Was I the only one in that prison world?" The vampire's tone was hard and laced with anger. "The last time I checked, it was the two of us."

"You know that's different!" If Bonnie could've stomped her feet, she would've but she was too frustrated to do so. She was in no way ready to have this discussion and she felt she's been backed up in a corner. She ran an agitated hand through her hair when she really wanted to pull it out.

"Are you saying your feelings changed then? Even when you talked about Elena?"

Damon swallowed a golf ball because there's no way he can answer that without coming off as a jerk.

"Are you saying yours didn't?" he asked quietly, deflecting expertly. "Are you saying that it never even crossed your mind?"

Bonnie kept rubbing her fingers together to keep it from shaking. The urge to throw a hex at him was just right there at her fingertips. She knew exactly what he was doing and absolutely hated his manipulation at that moment, steering her away from a real answer and bullying her into one.

And when Bonnie was pissed, she retaliated. Something a particular vampire almost always made her do out of routine. The one pushing her to do right now.

"Tell me something, Damon. If Elena was not under deep sleep, will we be having this conversation?"

Damon went still. "Would you have kissed me?" she continued.

She watched him closely, taking in his silence. Bonnie's eyes narrowed and accepted that as an answer. She went around the mute vampire to get inside the house.

"Didn't think so." she said before closing the door.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

3 days earlier  
\-----------

Someone was ringing the doorbell at six o' clock in the morning and Matt had to clear his foggy mind which was still partly stuck in dreamland. His feet were heavy and he was sure whoever's at the door could hear his protesting approach. But when he found Bonnie's determined look with a heavy overnight bag clutched in her right hand, his still buffering brain suddenly blipped and restarted immediately.

"Hey, Bonnie. Is there something wrong?" he asked. No use with morning pleasantries when Bonnie looked like she didn't need it.

"Can I come in?" she said, taking a quick glance around cautiously.

That raised an alarm in Matt's mind and quickly ushered her in. He watched his friend move to the living room, dropping her bag carefully on the couch. She seemed distracted as her eyes wandered around before they settled on him. Her behavior was waking him up more and more, his mind and body moving like an old car leaving the garage when it hasn't warmed up yet.

"Bonnie?"

Her bow-shaped lips curled in between her teeth then was released with a sigh. "I need a favor, Matt."

"Anything." he answered, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I need you to cover for me for a few days." She looked at him with pleading green eyes, the same ones he always fell for since they were twelve. No way in hell would he be able to say no to her which made him realize whatever it is appears to be a pretty big favor for her.

"Are you in trouble?"

"No." Matt's eyebrow rose. "Not exactly." she conceded.

The blond officer's head tilted slightly and stared hard at her a few seconds longer. "Are you going to be?"

The resident witch stared back, nervously biting her lip. Matt knew the answer already. Whatever Bonnie has decided, it would be like pulling teeth to convince her otherwise. He stepped closer and pulled her against him. Bonnie went to him rigidly but she relaxed as soon as she buried her face to his chest. 'What the heck are you going to do, Bonnie?' Matt thought.

"Am goin' tuh unling Emenah en I." Bonnie said through Matt's shirt like she heard his question.

Matt slightly pulled away just enough for her to raise her head. "What? I think you just said that you're going to unlink you and Elena."

Since he got it right the first time, Bonnie didn't think she needed to repeat herself so she let that sink in.

"Bonnie, isn't it dangerous to attempt?" Matt wasn't really up to speed with how the spell worked but the basic idea he got was that the link between Bonnie and Elena was pretty tight and practically unbreakable.

"I've found something new in Grams' basement and I think I know how to break it."

'New' and 'I think' were not reassuring words to Matt and he tried to find the right sentiment that won't offend his friend. "I know you're a powerful witch, Bonnie, but are you sure you can do this? I don't want to be the stupid friend who would inadvertently help you with something that might put you in danger."

He wasn't oblivious as to how their circle of friends perceived him as the 'weak human.' He felt that some immediately equated that him being less knowledgeable of the supernatural, he knew less of everything else. Particularly, his least favorite vampire - scratch that - 'being' in the planet who happened to be practically glued to Bonnie's side lately.

Which brings up an annoyingly groan-inducing issue.

"And how do you think I'm supposed to fend off Damon?" He was not looking forward to lying in his face. If something happened to Bonnie, Matt had a feeling that the older Salvatore wouldn't allow him to survive long enough to wallow in self-blame if he aided her.

"Do you still have vervain in stock?" Bonnie asked, already knowing that he did.

"Yes, of course."

"Then keep one with you at all times. We don't want Damon compelling information from you."

"You think a little vervain would stop him?" Matt looked at her incredulously. He wanted to convince her that things aren't the way they used to be. This wasn't a few years ago when she would jump every hoop to help fix any problem at the time and one of her friends would probably even give her a boost if she needed it. Years of being the resident go-to witch has made her think that being a witch was the best part of her. This bordering to abusive treatment of her friends had always outraged Matt. Bonnie, with her ginormous heart, would be there giving reason after reason why she had to risk her life. It's a recurring debate where Matt would tell her 'bullshit!' and Bonnie would be her loyal, understanding self, trying to calm him down.

After dying one too many times, he was more than glad that things have improved. Bonnie just needed to get off this damn suicidal cycle. Which brings him back to his point that Bonnie is recklessly overlooking.

"Tell him I'm visiting relatives." she answered.

Matt frowned when she looked away. "Did something happen?"

Bonnie stilled from checking random stuff in her bag, then continued like he didn't ask anything.

"Bon?" Matt walked over to her, observing her stiff movements. He reached out for her shoulder so that she would face him.

She was shaking her head, looking like she was trying to deny something that already occurred. Matt cupped her cheek so that he can see her eyes clearly. For a moment, her eyes stared at him with the honesty he was asking for and he thought he understood it perfectly. Then she blinked and those eyes became murky green. He lost the momentary clarity.

Bonnie held the hand against her cheek. "Matt, I just need to do this. I don't think I'll ever be calm until I get this over with."

Matt stared back and for a split second, he pondered putting his foot down, making her see other options. Just be reasonable.

But this was Bonnie.

At that moment, he felt helpless and he hated that he almost never said no to her - when she asked for the last piece of his Superman birthday cake of his favorite flavor; when she asked him not to tell Grams that the bruise and scratches on her knuckles was because she hit pervert Brian in fifth grade; when she asked him to try calling the number that she found that could be her mother's the same year; when she told him to ask Elena out because they looked good together.

He shook his mind to rid of the feeling that one still elicited. He took a deep breath and hugged her tight.

"Please be safe." he said as a goodbye.

 

XXXXXXXXX

Danvers, Massachusetts  
\--------------------

It usually only takes fifteen minutes for Ruby Wood to get home from Danvers High School where she works as the school librarian. It's a job she appreciated as it served its purpose in keeping her life out of any drama. She's worked there for five years and had no intention of leaving unless for some reason, people got too close, too nosy, and eventually too inquisitive. She wanted how things are right now. Uninteresting. Even banal. Unlike her history.

Salem Village was a noteworthy, albeit a horrid part of history of Danvers that the locals mostly no longer cared. It's not typical for people to question her roots but when random, proud senior citizens of the good county of Essex have a light bulb moment when hearing her name, let's just say, it still raises a knee jerk flight reaction from time to time.

Students were particularly slow in dispersing from the school grounds this day and it took her more than the usual time to get to the main street. The short drive was uneventful and lulled her to a half and half of slumber and wakefulness, totally missing the out of place young woman waiting at her front porch.

"Hello. Are you Ruby Wood?"

Ruby stopped from fishing her house keys from her bag and immediately looked up at a girl who looked like she was too wired to sleep. She frowned at the fact a stranger knew her name.

"Who's asking?"

"Bonnie Bennett."

A lip gloss rolled out of the bag as it came contact with the cement.

XXXXXXXXXX

 

"And you think I can help you?"

Both women were seated at opposite ends of Ruby Wood's coffee table like reluctant chess players. Ruby's tone was somewhere along the lines of suspicion and disbelief. Bonnie tried not to slump on her chair in reaction and tried to understand that the woman before her had every reason. It was difficult though after a restless flight, looking for a place to temporarily crash, and luckily finding the right Ruby Wood on her third try. The grande Americano she had earlier was losing its effect. If she didn't have another soon, her bravado and her spine will crumble some time in the next hour.

She pushed through.

"Have you seen these spells?" she asked, laying the notebook in the middle of the table. She was playing on a hunch here.

Ruby's eyes stayed on her for a second before looking at the worn leather. Bonnie watched for any outward reaction to gauge if all this was a fruitless journey or not. Ruby had one hell of a poker face.

Then she stood up and left the room for a couple of minutes. Bonnie was on alert mode suddenly. She can't be sure if Ruby will be back, still as accommodating as she had been for a complete stranger. She exhaled when she saw Ruby stride back to the living room. She lightly tossed a similar notebook alongside the one already on the table.

"Tell me this. Are the ones in your book unbinding spells?" Ruby asked, no longer caring to sit down.

Bonnie tried really hard not to show the utter relief and immediate excitement her question raised. "Yes." she answered. "I think it was in my grams' handwriting."

Ruby nodded, her eyes looking at her but seemingly elsewhere too. She took a breath as if she just reached a decision. "Mine is in my mother's script."

XXXXXXXXXX

 

Every witch coming to his or her own has a different story to tell. From what has been passed down the Wood family, they had a choice to embrace their magic or leave it dormant. A lot of her ancestors after the Salem witch trials shunned the life of a witch, desperate to be left alone, immediately disassociating themselves from any connection to avoid the stigma. Yet despite that, there would at least be one from every generation that would feel obligated to acknowledge the power in their blood and immerse themselves in what entailed of being a witch. For Ruby, it was her mother who passed down the tradition to her. Spells and stories were handed down since she was ten years old as she became fascinated by her mother's love of magic and balance of nature.

Something she apparently shared with Sheila Bennett.

She had seen Sheila Bennett a few times visiting her mother and had dismissed her as just a good friend of her mom's. What she found odd was how her mother would act around her. Yes, they seemed familiar and in pleasant terms, but her mother seemed to be especially respectful of Miss Sheila. Before the day she would visit, her mom would include her to do household chores, making sure their house was spotless. She just assumed that Miss Sheila was an important person, like the town mayor or something like that.

In her mother's twilight years, she would eventually find out that the Bennett witches are the closest to witch royalty as anyone could get.

Ruby also remembered her uncle visiting whenever Miss Sheila was around. Again, she never thought anything of it. She was too young and didn't really care what the grown ups were up to. Her mom would allow her to play outside and she never questioned what was going on.

Growing up and following her mother's footsteps, there were three rules that her mom had ingrained in her. These were rules she even repeated before she died:

Keep low

Keep safe

Keep it in the family

Anonymity and safety had always come hand in hand for Ruby and easy to follow. When she got a little older, she questioned the third as she imagined all sorts of ways of how this could mean. Her mom only chuckled when she had raised her doubts.

_"I'm not asking you to marry into the family, child. I'm just asking you to keep tradition and protect our family with it."_

_Eleven year-old Ruby had watched from inside the house as her Uncle Jonathan talked to Miss Sheila. She turned back to her mother. "Is Miss Sheila family?"_

_Evelyn Tracy Wood was cooking her famous pot roast and Ruby was lounging around, eager to have the first taste. She watched her poke the meat with the ladle to test its firmness._

_"I think she will be." her mom had answered, practically beaming over the hot pot._

And she was right so here they are now.

They weren't exactly in a cave. They were technically beside another layer of ground that hollowed wide and deep. The roots of the tree that was practically right on top of them grew in intricate mazes around them and served as a curtain, effectively hiding them from plain sight.

Ruby watched Bonnie arrange two candles about a meter apart from each other.

"Are those church candles?" she asked.

"Yeah." Bonnie answered, not looking up.

She then drew a straight line between the two candles like a barrier or partition. Bonnie stood at one end and she nodded to Ruby, who then moved to stand on the other end of the line. They now made four points - the two of them and the candles across from each other.

The younger witch reached for her copy of spells from her jacket. Ruby watched as she turned to the last page, one of the more difficult ones among the already complex unlinking spells in the book.

They had argued at length about this. Although the particular spell Bonnie chose had the highest chance to sever the link that the Gemini warlock had bound her and her friend, it also had the highest risk for the witch performing it. Of course it went against her rules of protecting the family. And Bonnie Bennett is family, so naturally she objected. The Woods may not be as powerful or known like the Bennetts but her mother had simple, black and white rules. She was not going to tarnish the values that her mother had passed on to her.

But this Bennett witch had insisted, painfully so. It had taken her aback, the raw need she felt from her aura as she made her case, the conviction that her purpose was the right path. She had looked at her intently, seeing the stiffness of her back, the tired dark circles under her eyes, Ruby could only assume that this young woman had gone through hell, survived it, and had resigned to the idea that she'd be doing it again if needed. And it struck her how Bonnie didn't seem to think her life is of any consequence. She seemed to be fully aware of her bloodline and that she was the last direct descendant of a goddess, yet that didn't seem to matter. The only comparison Ruby could think of was that Bonnie thought like a queen but fought like a foot soldier. She was still unsure if she admired her for it or if she should point out her stupidity. If Bonnie wanted to go through with it, Ruby needed some assurance that no harm would come to her. She had no need for her mother's angry spirit or any of her ancestors berating her beyond the grave.

Bonnie had nodded then, already knowing that Ruby would demand that.

_"That's why I need your help."_

_She had opened the book and had turned to the page of the particular spell where it explained that they would need to sever parts of the link to help weaken it instead of unlinking as a whole._

_"It would appear it would take a lot of energy severing the links themselves. I would need your help in pointing me to the areas where I can do the most damage so that I can focus only on breaking the links."_

_"And if, for some reason, I point you to the wrong direction?" Ruby had asked._

_Bonnie's shoulders slumped a fraction but she recovered quickly with her answer. "You won't."_

_The woman who looked just a few years shy from Bonnie's mother's age, stared back. Bonnie was right. She won't, or at least she'd give it more than a damn try for sure because Bonnie's life now depended on how well she would do her part. Family is family._

So no, she won't.

Bonnie took a breath and seemed to prepare herself. She looked at Ruby. "Did you bring an extra energy source?" she asked.

Ruby held out her hand to show off a diamond ring and then confirmed she's still a single lady. "It was my mother's." she said. "Did you need one?" She thought it was a valid question. She was talking to a powerful witch, if not the most powerful one.

The Bennett witch seemed to think about the question then nodded. She reached for her left ear then her right. Bonnie clutched her diamond earrings, a gift from her dad. The stones were not just a power source, it would be Bonnie's means to cut the links much like a knife. The rarer the gem, the sharper it should be.

Bonnie closed her eyes and began to chant. Ruby took a deep breath and almost choked in surprise as she felt the magic swirl around them. It was so thick and the older woman tried not to look overwhelmed, realizing how powerful the young woman before her really was. She briefly wondered why this Bennett needed all the energy to draw from - the full moon, the diamonds, deep in nature, when the magic she could command was almost limitless. It was breathtaking and frightening at the same time but this was not the time to cower or get excited that would cause her to lose focus. Part of her felt quite honored that she was asked to help such a powerful being.

The two church candles lighted up along with the fire that scaled the partition that Bonnie drew. Then, they weren't in the woods anymore. It was just them - two witches, the two candles that represented Bonnie and Elena, and the line of fire. Everything else was darkness. Bonnie chanted the next part of the spell, the unveiling of the links. They revealed themselves one by one and Ruby became anxious as to how many they needed to break. Slowly, they showed themselves, twisting between the two candles like loose nerves, pulsing and strong. Ruby counted three so far and she immediately looked for the weakest parts where Bonnie could have the best chance of breaking them. As she was doing that, additional two emerged. Both witches held their breaths if there would be more.

Ruby's forehead was starting to line with sweat. Viewing the links, finding the weakest points, and trying to be on the same magical plane with Bonnie was starting to take its toll, and they haven't even begun to break the links. Then the line of fire started to diminish, a slow dissipation that started from Ruby to Bonnie. It was their timeline. Bonnie needed to start breaking the links. If she won't be able to break all five before the fire is completely gone, they would be facing dire consequences.

Ruby pulsed enough energy to get Bonnie's attention, showing her one weak part of one of the links. Bonnie received the message and focused on it. She made a cutting gesture and the link was severed. Bonnie gasped, a gash appeared along her arm.

The older witch cursed and looked for a sign if Bonnie was okay. The younger witch nodded. There were four more to go and they didn't have a lot of time to waste. Ruby looked through the swirling maze and pulsed through another area, highlighting it so that Bonnie could see. To her credit, Bonnie went to it quickly and slashed through. She let out a whimper, as she felt a slice against her shin. She didn't look down to her left leg to see if it was blood that she felt trickle down. There was no time.

Ruby highlighted another one, fully aware now of the consequences of every link they break. Bonnie was taking the blow but she was also getting tired. Her head was throbbing from the effort and it was getting difficult seeing through the intertwining links. Bonnie cut through again. Two more to go.

Weak light pulsed through where Ruby thought was a weak area. She was eighty percent sure. Oddly enough, the less links left, the hazier things were getting. She looked up at Bonnie to see if she saw her message but was alarmed at the trail of blood trickling down the side of her face. If the Bennett witch felt any pain, it didn't register on her face. She was looking at the weak spot Ruby had directed her. The fire was more than halfway out and Ruby tried not to instruct Bonnie to hurry. Then she felt a slow surge of energy coming from the young witch, the pungent magic filling the air and the darkness. The hair at the back of Ruby's neck were standing and she tried not to step back at the deliberate onslaught. Bonnie's hand sliced the air effectively breaking the link.

One last. Ruby glanced at the fire and only a fourth of the line was lit. 'Shit.' Ruby thought. 'They needed to hurry.' Her head throbbed in effort as she looked for the weakest part of the last link. 'There!' She sent a burst of light towards it and it almost knocked her breath out. Bonnie zeroed in on it immediately.

"Do it!" Ruby shouted, seeing that the fire was almost out.

Bonnie slashed the air and power burst like an atomic bomb causing Ruby's knees to finally gave in. Her ears were ringing and Ruby had to close her eyes to steady herself. When she opened them, they were back in the woods without any fire visible, none coming from the line and the church candles. She looked up to check how the Bennett witch fared and was relieved at her still standing.

Bonnie looked back at her, dazed with relief. An involuntary quirk started at her mouth. Ruby stared at her in awe and couldn't help smiling back. She started to get up to walk over to Bonnie. She felt like hugging her. They did it.

With one knee bent to stand, Ruby stilled her movement when she saw blood trickle from Bonnie's nose. Bonnie's eyes widened, raising her hand to catch the flow. Then a crooked line of red slid down from her ears. Bonnie staggered back in alarm as Ruby scrambled to get to her. When she reached Bonnie, a dark red stain on her shirt above her chest had started to grow.

"Oh my god!" Ruby gasped as she caught Bonnie before she hit the ground.

'Dammit!' The older woman went to auto-mode and started a healing spell, laying Bonnie flat on the floor. She was exhausted but she tried anyway. It took a minute before she saw the blood slowing down and then finally stop.

"Bonnie, can you hear me?" she asked gently, trying not to panic as she watched the young woman struggle to keep her eyes open.

She nodded slowly as an answer and tried to assure Ruby with a hand on her arm. "I think I'm okay. I'm just really..." she didn't finish, her voice fading and her eyes fluttering close. Then nothing.

"Bonnie?" she asked. Her adrenaline had started to ebb, leaving her with a pounding headache and an unconscious Bennett witch to deal with. She checked Bonnie's pulse and was relieved that it was there. Ruby pondered her next move, deliberating if she should start calling. She looked into the inside pocket of her jacket and fished for Bonnie's phone. She scanned through the contacts and swiped on a number.

It was answered mid-second ring. "Bonnie?" a worried voice filtered through the earpiece.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm Ruby Wood and Bonnie Bennett said to call you if something happened?"

"Is she alright?"

Ruby exhaled. She wasn't sure how to answer that.


	5. Chapter 5

Bonnie Bennett is in trouble.

Not 'run for your life - there are five million supernaturals after you' trouble, although she certainly was a magnet to death-resulting  
predicaments. Not that. She's in unquestionable 'boy trouble' as her Grams would say it with a pointed look.

On cue, his phone vibrated and he saw Damon's contact name.

It had frustrated and amused Matt at the same time, how Bonnie seemed to be oblivious of the men she attracted. She seemed to think that  
she blended in the crowd and was easily overlooked as long as she's in between Elena and Caroline. Matt blamed it to being an only child to a  
mother who failed to pacify her young daughter that she was enough for her to stay or at the least keep in touch, and to a father who threw  
himself to his work to cover the pain instead of having a meaningful relationship with his only child.

Regardless, Bonnie couldn't be more wrong.

First of all, Mystic Falls High School has a predominantly white population. Try as she might to be a wallflower, it was a futile attempt, like  
missing the lone painting on a white wall. Second, she was gorgeous. She was beautiful in a way that it lingered, making you look a second or a  
third time. Some even had a hard time looking away. Third, she was the most down to earth girl Matt knew and the easiest person to talk to,  
which in turn made her so likeable. Some guys he knew who didn't initially turn their heads at first glance, ended up chasing after her within a  
couple of minutes of conversation.

One of those guys was Jeremy. He was the annoying younger brother that the girls picked on while growing up. Then he grew up and Bonnie  
was around the Gilberts home all the time so they had frequent back and forth talks. It wasn't much of a surprise that Jeremy fell head over  
heels. Despite being a year younger, he was straight-forward, cringe-worthy sweet, and most of all, relentless. Even after the daggered looks he  
got from half of the football team, who Matt knew all too well, had a thing for Bonnie. Even after Matt and Tyler cornered him at The Grille like  
Bonnie's adopted brothers asking him directly what his deal was.

What was surprising to their circle of friends (and the indignant shock of the football team), was Bonnie gave in. They became official.  
Apparently, tenacity worked for Bonnie.

His phone buzzed once again and he continued to ignore it. "Get in line, bud." he muttered at Damon's name. He got up when he heard the  
doorbell, leaving the phone vibrating precariously at the edge of his countertop like an ignored strip dancer debuting her novice skills on the  
pole.

He should've answered the phone before he opened the door. It revealed a very worried Caroline, a frowning Stefan, and front and center was a  
livid Damon.

If persistence was the key to Bonnie Bennett, she was in deep trouble.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

They were at The Grille for about twenty minues now, trying to force out information from Matt. Not that he had a lot to tell. Matt suspected that  
Caroline was making noise more because Bonnie hadn't trusted her 'sister' enough about what she planned to do. Stefan's worry seemed to  
have only heightened because Caroline and Damon were taking turns describing the situation as worse than Matt thought it was. Damon was...

Matt was going to have a long talk with Bonnie once this was over. He had never seen the older Salvatore look this angry that he had himself  
reaching for the vervain at his back pocket every time Damon would start to bite his head off.

"I swear Donovan, if I see a scratch on her-"

"Yes, Damon. Like you've said ten different times, you'll kill me." Matt cut him off, already tired of Damon's several graphic depictions of his  
death.

"And I'll say it ten more times until you give me something I can work with to find Bonnie." Damon's voice was deadly.

Matt passed a hand over his face, trying not to give in to everone's frustration. "Look, I'm sorry. Bonnie didn't really say much when she left. Just  
that she had a lead on unlinking her bond with Elena."

Everyone visibly tensed at that. Caroline looked like she was have a panic attack and Matt felt the dread creep slowly up his spine.

"And I still don't understand how you thought that wasn't reason enough to stop her!" The chair made a sharp screech when Damon got up to  
leave. If he stayed any longer, he might not be able to keep himself from hurting Bonnie's so-called close friend. It would be so easy. Not even a  
second and his head would be in an awkward angle.

Matt carefully watched him stomp away. He understood the anger, but there was something else wrapped in that fury that was driving the panic  
that Damon was barely containing. He narrowed his eyes, trying to fit the puzzle that started when Bonnie came to him.

"What happened?" he called out to Damon before he could go any farther. Stefan and Caroline simultaneously turned their attention from the  
retreating vampire to their remaining human friend. Matt saw Damon hesitate and it was enough confirmation that something did happen. For  
twenty minutes, he endured the sheer disappointment he felt from these people and Damon all but shoving in his face that he was again the  
dumb human, so he had no qualms lashing back and bluntly pointing out what he now knows was most likely Damon's fault.

"Why was it suddenly important for Bonnie to do this?" he inquired accusingly.

Matt saw Damon's hands ball to a fist and then they all watched him continue past The Grille's swinging doors.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Stefan was already bracing himself in the dreaded task of trying to find his brother, who was desperately trying to find Bonnie, so he was  
momentarily out of sorts when he just found him leaning against his beloved Camaro just at The Grille's parking lot. Damon's frame was rigid,  
his arms and legs crossed while his eyes bore down the asphalt in front of him. Stefan slowly walked over towards his brother, trying to figure  
out how best to talk to him. With Bonnie's life possibly in danger, Damon was predictably acting like the asshole that he is. When he reached  
him, he settled to mimicking his posture at his right.

"Are you okay?" was not exactly either one of them expected him to ask after Matt's outburst. Damon didn't answer immediately and all Stefan  
can do is wait. This is Damon, he may or may not give an overly sarcastic answer.

Damon pushed away from the car and ran a restless hand over his hair in frustration. "I just need to find Bonnie."

Not 'we.' 'I.' Like this was his problem alone. It's safe for Stefan to assume that there was some merit to what Matt said earlier and Damon was  
taking Bonnie's disappearance personally. He wondered if Bonnie was running from his brother.

Then he watched as Damon swiftly changed from being uncharacteristically fidgety to stone still, his head cocked a little. Stefan followed his  
lead and listened.

'Bonnie?'

'No, I'm sorry. I'm Ruby Wood and Bonnie Bennett said to call you if something happened?'

Stefan felt the hair at the back of his neck raise. When he looked at his brother, he was already gone. He followed suit and went back inside  
The Grille.

Stefan found Matt standing up with his hand gripped tight against his ear. Damon was practically on top of him.

"Is she alright?"

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Danvers, Massachusetts  
\--------------------

Ruby exhaled. "She seems to be alright now, but she's unconscious."

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean by 'now'? What happened?" Ruby could tell that the man on the other line was trying not to panic. Someone  
cursed loudly in the background. There was some static and shuffling, then a different voice boomed from the earpiece.

"What the fuck happened to her?" Ruby almost dropped her phone from the sheer volume of another man's voice.

"Excuse me? Who the hell are you?" She shouted back, not appreciating the implied accusation.

"Someone who wants to know why Bonnie is barely breathing, thanks to you." And despite Ruby's exhaustion, blood rushed back so fast and so  
hot that one might be able to see smoke come out of her ears.

"Listen asshole. I'm your only link to Bonnie who came for my help. So if you'll excuse me but Bonnie had specific instructions to call a 'Matt  
Donovan,' so unless you're named 'Matt,' I'm not saying anything else about this Bennett witch."

There was some background noise which Ruby was sure was due to some arguing and wrestling for the phone.

"I'm sorry about that, Ruby. We're very worried about Bonnie." Said the initial voice that answered the phone. Matt. "Where can we find you?"  
he asked.

"Danvers, Massachussetts." Facts. If she stuck to facts, she may be able to get past this hurdle. The pounding in her head had subsided a little  
but still lingered while she tried to figure out how to get Bonnie home and debated if allowing this 'Matt' to her home would be a good idea. She  
didn't doubt that he'll be bringing his cavalry. She rattled off her address.

"Thank you. I don't know who you are, but Bonnie seemed to have trusted you if you're calling me. Please, please take care of her until we get  
there."

Her headache didn't keep her from hearing the sincerity in Matt's plea and she was relieved that the Bennett witch wasn't trekking this  
supernatural life alone. "I'll try." she answered.

"Thank you." Matt reiterated and the line went off.

Ruby heaved a heavy sigh and closed her eyes. It would take a bit more of her strength to bring Bonnie home. Well, it would still take Bonnie's  
'Matt' some time to get there. Right now, she wanted to sink into her bed and rest. She looked at the girl beside her and for some reason, she  
could imagine her mother's nagging voice, telling her to take care of family. Take care of Bonnie.

She closed her eyes and sifted through her small catalogue of spells in her head.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

2 days later  
__________

Mystic Falls, Virginia

 

Damon glared at the swirling bourbon he was holding in a glass that was one small pressure away from cracking. It was half empty and he had  
yet to take a sip. Despite being his go-to drink, the gallon he consumed for the past couple of days did nothing to tamp down the dread that was  
taking its slow, deliberate invasion that started at the pit of his stomach, stretching upward, reaching for his dead lungs. It felt like he had a  
working, cancer-infected one and it was getting just a little bit harder to breathe every passing minute.

He swallowed spit like it was bourbon and moved to the kitchen. He placed the glass on the island table and braced his hands at the edge. He  
stepped back to stretch and tried to rein in the beast that wanted to wreak havoc, drain the town dry, and corrupt the female population of Mystic  
Falls. He felt like a toy being slowly wound up, squeezing his head and chest by increments, waiting for the spring to snap.

 

  
2 days earlier  
__________

Danvers, Massachusetts

 

There had been nothing but hurdles from the time they left for Danvers to finally getting Bonnie settled at the Boarding house. There was the  
fact that Ruby Wood said 'hell no' to any vampire entering her home. Since three out of four of the cavalry to get Bonnie had fangs, this  
obviously didn't go over well. All three had raised their objections at the same time, even Stefan, who was usually the more diplomatic one  
compared to his unpredictable brother and easily frazzled Caroline. Damon, who always had to be the loudest and most arrogant, was the one  
who thought it best to flex his vampire muscle to 'encourage' Ruby. In turn, it took a couple of minutes for Caroline and Stefan to put out the  
flames on Damon's leather jacket and even longer for the burns to heal.

Eventually, Matt had been allowed in and the three undead were left waiting anxiously, trying not to think of the worst state Bonnie could possibly  
be in. It didn't help when they had heard Matt's gasp, 'Bonnie!' And just as suddenly, Damon had rushed to the invisible barrier and punched it  
like a lunatic, demanding that Matt bring Bonnie out. In all fairness, Caroline would've done the same thing if Damon hadn't beaten her to it. All  
she could do then was jockey for a better position at the door's threshold.

Inside Ruby Wood's guest bedroom, Matt had been having a difficult time not to be affected by the dried blood that was all over Bonnie's clothes  
and just get to Bonnie. Seeing her unconscious, the guilt hit him immediately and all Matt had thought was to just bring her home so that she  
can be taken care of. He had carefully picked her up, arranging her in his arms so that she's comfortable. With her head resting at the crook or  
his neck, it had surprised him that there was a bit of warmth coming from her head, confirming she was still among the living. Out of reflex, he  
had kissed Bonnie's forehead, savoring the small relief that maybe it's not yet too late. When he had opened his eyes, Ruby was giving him a  
relieved smile of her own.

"I'm glad to know that she, at the least, has you." she had said. Matt wasn't sure how to respond to that and had just stared back until he heard  
Damon's voice, shouting "Donovan" for the third time. He had been startled, quickly regretting jostling Bonnie, nodded at Ruby's disapproving  
look at the yelling, and left the room.

All the vampires waiting outside zeroed in at the sight of the witch and had immediately smelled the blood. Lots of dried blood. "Oh my god!  
Bonnie!" Caroline had cried out, her eyes instantly watering.

As shocked as Stefan was at seeing Bonnie's state, he had immediately stood at Damon's other side, more concerned of how his brother would  
take this.

Matt had stopped at the threshold, just within the barrier. At any other time, he might have enjoyed the fact that Damon wouldn't be able to get  
his hands on Bonnie regardless if he meant well or not. But Bonnie felt like dead weight and the little warmth that pacified him earlier was  
easily dissipating.

"Give her here, Donovan." Damon said in an eerily calm voice which made all the other three tense up even further. Damon could feel Ruby  
Wood's magic prickling his skin, ready to attack if he did anything to Bonnie. He could care less as his eyes never left the witch's body, his fist  
still up against the barrier.

It wasn't probably the best time to have a dick-measuring contest at the moment, but Matt had no intention of letting Bonnie go. Feeling her  
breathing and semi-warm is the only thing that was keeping him from losing it.

"Damon, would you mind getting the rental?" Matt had asked just as calmly.

"What?" Damon growled. Matt just stared back.

"Really guys? We don't have time for this right now!" Caroline exclaimed. She forced her way in front of Damon. "Damon, can you just go get  
the car so that we can get Bonnie home as soon as possible?" Damon had been on the verge of showing his fangs but Stefan jostled him to  
move. "Come on, Damon. We're wasting time."

Caroline had turned back around as soon as the Salvatore brothers left the porch to narrow her eyes at Matt. Matt had given her the same  
determined look, not giving an inch. Caroline's shoulders dropped. She couldn't really blame him. Matt has been Bonnie's oldest friend and has  
always been protective of her. She could also tell that he was beyond scared, enough not to care about Damon's psychopathic tendencies. This  
only heightened her worry.

While Caroline had let the first pissing contest at Ruby Wood's door pass, she had wanted to wring both Damon's and Matt's necks in the  
succeeding arm-wrestling moments that she was sure Bonnie would've raged about if she only knew. Damon and Matt elbowed their way in  
every significant move on the way home. There had been an embarrassing argument on who's going to sit with Bonnie in the rental which  
Caroline was able to solve by insisting she'd ride with Bonnie and Stefan at the back which had left the dark-haired bloodsucker driving and the  
blond cop riding shotgun. Suffice it to say, it was a silent ride to the airport.

When they had reached the airport, compelling had been complicated as apart from procuring their tickets, they had to convince practically  
everyone within twenty yards radius distance that Bonnie was 'just sick.' It was quite a tedious process, that took all three vampires to impose  
their will from the parking lot, to check in, to the gate, then finally boarding the plane. When Caroline, Stefan, and Matt settled to their business  
class seats, they had watched in confusion when the flight attendant led Damon, who was carrying Bonnie this time, past them to first class.  
Stefan had pinched his nose, Caroline had raised her eyes heavenward accompanied by an exasperated 'Oh my God,' while Matt had clenched  
both his fists and teeth. Caroline shot him a look to not make a scene. Thankfully, Matt just looked away albeit suppressing the urge to punch  
the seat in front of him.

And when they had finally reached Virginia, Caroline was just ready to snap the necks of the older Salvatore and her ex-boyfriend when another  
argument ensued on where to take Bonnie home. Matt had argued that she should stay at her grams' house while Damon of course felt that  
there's no other place better than the boarding house. Unfortunately for Damon, they left the Camaro in overnight parking at the airport so Matt  
took that opportunity to take Bonnie from Damon and had settled himself and the witch in the backseat. Caroline and Stefan just shared an  
exasperated look and got inside the car to avoid an earful from Damon. It was a moot point since the squabble that ensued on the way home  
could rival the most infuriating clashes in middle school.

"She needs to be where she's comfortable." Matt had pointed out from the backseat.

"Which would be the boarding house since she's been living there the past month." Damon had countered, rolling his eyes. Duh.

"So comfortable that she decided to move to her grams' house?" Matt had shot back.

"She needs to be where she can be well taken care of." Damon had replied, ignoring Matt's question.

"And she will be." Because he'll be there. The implication didn't need to be said.

"So what, you'll leave the residents of Mystic Falls to fend for themselves? You must have a very understanding boss." Damon had sneered like  
Matt being a cop was a total joke.

"I can -"

"Enough! Really? This is not helping anyone, least of all, Bonnie!" Caroline interjected, her ears ringing from all the arguing. She turned to Matt.  
"Admitting this is like eating horseshit, but I have to say that I agree on Damon on this one. We can all get to tend to her at the boarding house,  
including you."

Both Matt and Damon was about to give a piece of their mind on what she said but Caroline put her foot down. "No! I've had enough of your  
bullshit." She could see Damon ready to bulldoze her words with a few of his own but Caroline was not having any of it.

"Shut up, Damon. Or would you like us to pry and pick on the interesting fact that Matt brought up that you may be the reason Bonnie went to  
Danvers in the first place?" Damon had stiffened at that, knuckles stretched tense around the wheel. Matt had snorted then, absolutely  
enjoying the sight of Damon trying not to shrink in the driver's seat. This had caused Caroline to swing her pissed off gaze to him.

"Oh you're no better! For someone who always looked out for Bonnie, you still let her leave. As far as I'm concerned, both of you are the reason  
Bonnie's life is hanging by a thread. Again!" The last word was loud and shrill inside the car and the other three occupants had to wince at the  
volume. No one said a word after that. The way she delivered that last word, echoed everyone's sentiments, the 'how can we be in this  
predicament again?'

After a few minutes, Caroline's phone vibrated. It was a text message from Stefan.

She looked up to see if he was looking at her but he was staring straight ahead.

_'Are you alright now?'_

_'I'm calm now, if that's what you're really asking.'_

It took another couple of minutes before she got a reply.

 _'Not the most appropriate thing to tell you but'_ Caroline frowned at the broken message.

_'That was hot.'_

Caroline had just pursed her lips and tried to keep the smile that was trying to break out. She looked at her right and watched Matt cradle  
Bonnie's slumped body as gently as he could. And just like that, the small pleasure of receiving a compliment had been snuffed out.

'Oh Bonnie. What were you thinking?' This question has been on loop in her head since she found out what happened.

  
2 days later  
__________

Mystic Falls, Virginia

  
Most people thought that Stefan was the 'good' brother. Responsible, compassionate, and earnest. For a former Ripper, he strived to do what  
he thought was right and would accept the repercussions if those decisions stabbed him at the back. He was the one who listened, the advice  
you considered before you made an important decision. Traits that rarely applied when it came to dealing with his brother. Meaningful  
communication with his brother had always been spotty as they were few and far between. Yes, it has been a vast improvement compared to  
the time Damon followed him back to Mystic Falls. Now, there is at least an understanding that no matter what, they were family and will forever  
be. But the long stretch of resentment on both sides over the years had made deep, brotherly discussions between them somewhat difficult and  
almost always painfully awkward.

He watched Damon cross the hall from the kitchen to the bar, still holding the bourbon he knew he hasn't touched for the last hour. His brother  
was wound up so tight that Stefan felt like grabbing his own shirt's collar to loosen it. He can at least admit that he admired Damon's restraint  
despite recent events. Everybody was on edge. Not only because of Bonnie's state, but they were expecting him to go postal any moment. So  
far, he hasn't. He would like to think it's not so much as it's because the one in danger isn't Elena, but more so because of Bonnie's huge  
impact on him. If in any case Damon would paint the town red with innocent blood, Bonnie would be livid. And if there's anything he learned  
from their relationship, Damon would do anything not to disappoint her.

"Are you just going to watch me, or are you going to join me?" Stefan was suddenly pulled from his thoughts. He eyed Damon and wished he  
knew how to make it easy for him.

"I'll have the same drink." he answered, settling with just answering Damon's question.

Stefan sat down stiffly, mildly distracted by Caroline and Matt having a high school reunion at Bonnie's room where they settled the unconscious  
witch. Damon gritted his teeth, more than distracted as he listened to Caroline trying to appease her ex-boyfriend who hasn't left Bonnie's side.

"You've got to stop that." Stefan said as he observed his brother.

"Got to be clear, Stefan." Damon replied absentmindedly, still listening in on the exes.

"Thinking like they don't have the right to worry."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Damon handed Stefan his glass of bourbon but looked like he wanted to chuck it to his head instead.

"You know that you don't have exclusive rights to Bonnie, right? We were all her friends first."

Stefan could practically hear Damon's molars shaving an inch off his fangs. He sighed after taking a sip from his glass before his brother  
decides to swipe it off his hand and empty the fine alcohol on his head. He's acutely reminded how he's most likely going about this wrong. It  
took him a couple of seconds before he thought, fuck it, and just go ahead and possibly fumble this further.

"But that's not why you're one annoying gesture away from going on a rampage, is it?"

For the first time since Damon poured his drink, he took a long sip.

"Is this anger, worry..." Stefan paused. "Or guilt?"

Damon stood up suddenly, the rustle of shifting clothes was annoyingly loud in the empty room. The movement was the only indication that  
Stefan was getting close to the truth. All he could think of is that goddamn mutt was smarter than he thought for piecing things together and his  
brother was more than curious. He strode defiantly towards the bar to pour himself another glass. His drink was halfway to his parched mouth  
when another irritating voice interrupted the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm not sure if you're drinking to calm your nerves or if you're celebrating your girlfriend's possible return."

Lucy Bennett stood at the entrance of the room, her eyes levelled at the older Salvatore for a couple of seconds before sweeping to Stefan,  
cocking an eyebrow. Caroline must've filled her in already.

On the way home, everybody was in favor of contacting Lucy to help, out of desperation, crossing their fingers that blood connection would  
convince her to go to Mystic Falls. With Matt and Damon bickering like middle schoolers and Stefan playing referee, Caroline took the reins in  
talking to the only other Bennett witch. It didn't appear that she held back with the details.

"As always Lucy, it's so refreshing to hear another judgemental Bennett." Damon said in greeting.

"And as much as I'd like to share the amusement, I can't say it's a pleasure knowing one of my kin is in danger once again because of you."

Damon stared her down with a look that would've frozen hell. "Watch it witch, you're in my house."

"Watch it vampire, you asked for my help."

Stefan stood up then and played mediator. It seems like it was all he's been doing for the past few days.

"Come on guys, enough of this. This isn't helping Bonnie any." He turned to face Lucy fully. "And thank you Lucy for coming in such short notice.  
We need all the help we can get."

Lucy and Damon glared at each other over Stefan's shoulder, neither one backing down. Stefan's effort to diffuse the tension didn't seem to  
work but the shrill voice of Caroline at the top of the stairs effectively interrupted the stare down.

"Something's happening to Bonnie!" Her eyes widened further when she saw Lucy, feeling a bit of relief seeing her there. "Lucy, come quick."

Damon was already gone before Lucy could respond and Stefan was left ushering the newcomer upstairs, resisting the urge to follow his  
brother's speed.

When Lucy entered the room, Bonnie was flanked by Damon on one side, hovering dangerously over her. The first thought Lucy had was if he  
toppled over her distant cousin, she'd have an excuse to fling him to a wall. Another man was on Bonnie's other side, holding her hand for dear  
life, while the other wiped some blood near her mouth. His hold didn't seem tight but his hand shook involuntarily. When he finally  
acknowledged Lucy, all she could see was the raw fear he couldn't hide in his eyes, and Lucy was suddenly more than concerned at what dire  
state her cousin was in now.

Stefan was right beside a distraught Caroline who had a hand over her mouth, trying to contain her cries. "She wouldn't take the blood."  
Caroline said, her head shaking. "It just spilled right out. She wouldn't swallow it."

Bonnie was lying on the bed, very still. She appeared to be breathing. Lucy frowned when she saw a couple of very visible bruises on her body -  
one on her arm and another one on her neck. However, it wasn't just the glaring, painful looking marks on her that was shocking but she didn't  
expect the tear tracks on her face. At first glance, she looked like an abused victim, suffering silently right after a beating.

Then she whimpered, eyes still closed. Another tear rolled down the side of her face.

"Bonnie!" Caroline gasped, rushing over beside Matt. Matt had a handkerchief out and desperately wiping on her tears, knowing how uselesss  
his efforts are in trying to relieve any pain Bonnie may be feeling.

Of course, Damon had to up the ante and do something even more futile by cursing in three different languages and punching a hole in the wall.  
Then he was right in front of Lucy. "Do something, now!" he bellowed, his eyes black and his veins protruding angrily around his eyes.

Lucy would've told him off for talking to her in such a manner but she restrained herself, understanding the urgency. She quickly went to Bonnie  
and put her hands over her body, trying to sense any internal injury. Her aura was murky and that wasn't a good sign. She moved her hands over  
her head, her frown deepening. Everybody held their breath. Lucy gritted her teeth, her hands starting to shake.

"Is she not healing?" Caroline asked in a whisper, trying not to lose Lucy's concentration.

"No." Lucy answered.

She wanted to explain further but she didn't expect having difficulty immediately. Magic was pushing back hard and she wasn't prepared to  
handle such power just by getting into Bonnie's mind. She dropped her hands and stepped back, a sheen of perspiration dotting her forehead.

"What's going on, witch?" Damon practically growled. Lucy glared at the ingrate, contemplating on using her reserve energy just to burn the  
asshole alive.

"Lucy?" Stefan gently asked, immediately slipping back to his mediating duties.

Since he was the polite one to ask, Lucy addressed him. She might not resist the urge to bitchslap the older Salvatore if her eyes strayed to  
Damon. "I was trying to get into her subconsciousness because her physical injuries seem to be a result of an inner battle. Something I'm sure  
this Gemini psychopath used as as a precaution if Bonnie tried to break the link."

"You can't break through?" Stefan asked.

Lucy shook her head. "It's like a double barrier. It takes so much just trying to get through, once I find a way in and I make my way towards it, the  
barrier clamps down and I lose the path." She looked at Bonnie. "Call him crazy but he knows his magic and used it well to mess with Bonnie."

Everybody digested that for a couple of seconds, no one saying anything. Then they heard Bonnie take a quick gasp of air. Everyone turned to  
her immediately. Damon went back to hovering in a blink of an eye. They watched helplessly as Bonnie gritted her teeth, as if trying to hold  
back a sob. They watched in horror as a red scar cut straight from the left side of her neck all the way to the other side, like someone held a  
knife and enjoyed the way it slid horizontally on her skin. Tears slid down both sides of her face and Caroline couldn't help crying with her. Matt  
patted the fresh wave of tears furiously, his eyes red, trying to hold in his own. The usually calm Stefan had a deer caught in the headlights look  
as his mind scrambled for other possible ways to figure a way out for Bonnie. He turned to Damon who was now standing too still, his hands  
balled into a fist so tight that they shook.

"What if we get inside her head together?" he said suddenly, his eyes not leaving Bonnie.

"Unless you have magic, I'm not sure how that will help." Lucy said.

When he turned to Lucy, she frowned at dead serious blue eyes. "I can get into her subconsciousness, her dreams or nightmare, whatever's  
going on inside her head. You can lead the way and I'll go through, that way you don't have to expend that much energy. Give me a timeline and  
I'll pull Bonnie back from -" he gestured towards Bonnie's body, "whatever this is."

Lucy eyed him suspiciously. "What's my assurance that you won't push her to the edge. That if for some reason she held a knife, you won't use it  
on her." As soon as she finished her sentence, Lucy felt her back hit a wall and she was having difficulty breathing as a hand tried to squeeze  
the life out of her.

Just as suddenly, Lucy could breathe, her body slumping sideways as the hand that held her released her throat. Stefan had Damon pinned at  
the adjacent wall, restraining his vamped out brother. "Both of you, stop it!" Stefan shouted, addressing the two.

Caroline was beside Lucy in an instant. "Are you okay?"

"Can it be done?" Matt asked, still crouched over the bed beside Bonnie. "Do you have a better chance if you and Damon go into Bonnie's mind  
together?" He didn't care if it was Damon who thought of it and he would be the one to save Bonnie. He didn't care if this was a long shot. He  
just cared that it was at least a chance, slim as it may be.

Lucy was tempted to say no because she wasn't falling for this great concern coming from Damon for Bonnie and she wanted his face to show  
its true colors up close. Yet the the other three, especially the only non-supernatural in the room, was looking at her so desperately that she  
hesitated. That look, she couldn't dismiss outright and she groaned inwardly once she knew she's going to need Damon's help to get Bonnie  
back.

"It's worth a try." she relented.

Before she knew it, she was at the foot of the bed. Damon stood beside her, holding her hand like she would attempt to escape. His look  
brooked no argument while everyone else in the room looked at them expectantly. She sighed and said a silent offering to her ancestors and  
the Bennett line. She needed their strength for Bonnie. Lucy closed her eyes and raised her hand over her relative.

At first, Damon didn't understand what was going on, just that he knew that they were travelling and he could sense Lucy's general presence. It  
seemed that there was nothing in their midst but for some reason could feel that it was not an absolute emptiness. Then things seemed to  
become clearer. Jumbled thoughts became slowly coherent. Dense surroundings became distant silhoettes.

'Go!' was a command he heard from Lucy that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere and a forceful push propelled him...somewhere.  
It wasn't exactly a forward motion, just being directed to a particular destination. Then it felt like a windshield clearing on a weakening rain.

For a couple of seconds, he was dumbfounded. He had prepared himself to come to the middle of a tense battle between Bonnie and Kai for  
some reason. He had readied himself to attack whoever Bonnie's enemy might be. He didn't expect being in front of the small waterfalls he had  
shown Bonnie just a few days go, where things took an aggravating turn. His bestfriend was standing calmly on the same spot facing the water,  
her face unreadable. He walked towards her and had already thought of a snarky remark as an introduction, but she surprised him first by  
acknowledging his presence with a nod. He couldn't tell if she expected his presence but he didn't like the indifferent stare she had as she  
watched him approach.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" she asked, her apathetic eyes staring dead on to his determined blues.

The question was ridiculous to Damon's ears, as if he would hesitate for a chance to save her life. "What do you think, Bon-Bon?"

"I think you're trying to be a hero again." She gave him a sad smile. "Stefan would be beside himself with you trying to steal his thunder."

Damon snorted. "I'm not stealing anything from him. Just you." He looked around him. "From here."

He didn't think her face could even get any sadder, but it did. Her lip made an involuntary quirk down and he could see something glistening  
under her eyes that she seemed to be trying very hard to restrain. Damon couldn't help reaching out his hand to cup her face. He wanted to  
make sure that she was real. "Why did you do it, Bon?"

Her eyes strayed away from him, resting on something behind him. He didn't feel the need to check because he genuinely felt Bonnie just didn't  
want to look at him when she answered. Then her eyes roamed around like she was trying to read a message in the skies.

"I think it won't be long now." she said, her eyes still scanning the heavens.

Dread bloomed at the pit of Damon's stomach at her words. "What do you mean?"

Green eyes returned to him but she didn't answer. "Bon, come on. Come back with me. Everyone has been worried sick."

Bonnie didn't waver. The words didn't seem to have any effect on her. Her small hand held to his wrist and pulled down his hand from her  
cheek. Damon panicked, not liking her trying to distance herself and he grabbed her hand.

"Come back to what?" Bonnie asked so softly that he almost didn't hear it and Damon had a difficult time processing the resigned note in her  
voice.

"Come back to us." Desperate, agitated hands reached for her, smoothing her hair, cupping her face, skimming down her shoulders and arms.  
Damon had never been so scared in his almost 200 year life. His hands reached down to her hands and held tight with vampire strength and  
they trembled when he pulled them up to his lips.

"Bonnie, you need to come back." _To me._ His words begged on cold, limp hands. What he couldn't say out loud, he tried to convey through  
anguished pecks over her delicate knuckles.

He looked up with her hands cocooned in his and gripped them against his chest. Bonnie's expression only changed from indifference to  
confusion, not reacting predictably to his actions. "Damon, it's okay."

"How is this okay?!" he shouted to her face. He expected her to reciprocate, to bicker with him. He knew how to do that. He would at least have  
a chance to win the argument and if he felt he was losing, he would resort to cheating and bribing. Fuck the rules. Fuck being nicely convincing.

Yet Bonnie didn't respond in kind, just watched him with sympathy. If he hated her detachedness, he absolutely hated her pity.

"Damon, this is your chance. You and Elena will at least have an opportunity to move forward after all this shit we've all been subjected to."

The vampire looked at her incredulously. "How the fuck do you think I would be happy if my bestfriend is dead?"

"You'll move on, Damon. Elena would be there with you every step of the way."

"No, no, no no! Those are your duties. Don't you start shirking from them."

"They won't be anymore when-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" He felt her stumble back when he pushed away suddenly, his outburst screaming frustration and anger  
that he's bottled inside since they found her in Danvers.

He wanted to curse every single deity out there who allowed this. He wanted to see Kai in full psychotic glory and decapitate his head over and  
over and over. He felt like the Hulk and he was ready to go on a rampage regardless of the consequences.

He was quite possibly be losing his mind, inside his bestfriend's head. His shoulders shook with pained laughter.

He wanted a do-over of Bonnie's life where he could stroll back into sleepy Mystic Falls and actually fulfill his promise of protecting the Bennett  
line. He could be there in every significant event in her life and actually help her become the powerful witch she could be. He could show her  
then that she was not someone to be overlooked, that she was incomparable and her life could not be sacrificed in a whim or a coin toss.

His bestfriend didn't deserve to believe that she was insignificant. She didn't deserve to think that his chances are better than hers. And she  
certainly didn't deserve to feel that his contentment didn't not include her. For some unfathomable reason, she has found this acceptable.  
Inevitable. Even fucking appropriate.

Before he knew it, he was right in front of her, his hands cradling her small face that could bewitch a thousand supernaturals. His eyes begged  
her to see what she truly was in his own insignificant, more than a hundred years' existence. But all her murky, green eyes conveyed was  
resigned fate.

"Is it so easy for you to leave me behind?" he asked, his hands gently but firmly keeping her facing him lest she tried to avoid his question.

"No." she said simply.

"Then don't."

When he thought all the reaction he could get from her is her distant pity, he didn't expect her trying to fight the tears that were a whisper away  
from spilling. He never felt anything more painful than seeing her hang on to her dignity.

"I'm just so tired, Damon."

And those words were uttered so brokenly. Something lanced in his chest and he reacted the only natural way he knew how, what he'd been  
wanting to do since he saw her. It didn't matter that it affected him more than it might impact her and he savored that she allowed his tight  
embrace.

"I know." he whispered in her ear.

It was a second or a day, but she slowly pulled away from him and for some reason he couldn't keep his firm hold. Something was wrong and  
she was pulling away so easily while he was busting a vessel trying to keep her from moving.

"I think I'm ready to go."

"No!" Damon almost vamped out and gave it all he's got to hold on to her. He didn't care if he somehow hurt her. He wasn't letting go.

"Damon-"

"No, Bonnie! Don't you dare!" All composure and focus left him and he was hysterical. He watched her helplessly as she looked around her  
once again and he felt cold dread creep up from his spine.

"Bonnie, you're not ready! If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you have lived a full life, a life that you can say you have been truly  
satisfied, then I won't stop you. But if you think you'd like to do more, see more, and it has absolutely nothing to do with saving our asses, then  
for godsakes, come with me."

"But Elena -"

"- is not fighting for her life right now, you are!"

"I'm tired of fighting, Damon!" Her hands were slipping away from Damon's. "Aren't you?"

Damon gritted his teeth trying to keep his hands on hers like he was hanging on a slippery cliff in a thunderstorm. "Not for you."

Then her hands broke away and he felt like he was falling to a black hole. He screamed so hard without a sound for so long.

He came to screaming Bonnie's name, the haze slowly clearing.  Eventually, he saw Lucy staring wide eyed at the bed, Stefan pounding angrily at  
the same wall he abused, Caroline crying frantically beside Matt who had Bonnie on his lap, rocking their bodies as he held on to her body.

Damon zeroed in and tried to listen for a distinctive rhythm.  It was missing the perfect heartbeat of one powerful witch.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt to write a fanfic for this show. I don't follow it diligently because all I care about is Bamon. Since the 8th season is not giving me anything to look forward to, this is my way of coping. Thanks for reading.


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